The Shadow Wielders
by cerberus309
Summary: Semi-AU. Years after the Millennium Arc, the Yamis return to their Hikaris to battle Zorc once more, in a much more complicated battle than it first seemed. With new allies and even newer teammates, can they protect Hogwarts & beat Zorc once and for all
1. The Shadow Realm and Hunter

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Complete Disclaimer: Cerberus doesn't own anything you find familiar, she does own: Zane, Jess, Alex, & various enemies. Enjoy the revamped version of: _**The Shadow Wielders**_

The Shadow Realm and Hunter

"Who knew it would be so easy to find the girl, Master?"

Alex snarled. ""That was the easy part, you moron. There's still time for my pet to sense us.""

Alex tore his eyes from the minion and focused on their destination.

'_Soon, Hunter…very soon.'_

**TSW**

Inside, Alex's 'pet' was a young seventeen year old girl.

Had one been a mind reader, they would have found that she wasn't all she appeared to be.

She would have powerful walls that prevented one from seeing all thought and emotion.

They would also see two amber eyes glaring at them before the walls pulsed and threw them out.

Behind these walls, at this particular moment, the brown haired, blue eyed seventeen year old was arguing with an almost identical replica.

The replica was different in several ways.

Her eyes were a glowing, malevolent amber, her hair a darker shade of brown, and her canines were long enough to be considered fangs. This replica was chained to the walls one would see from the outside. These chains glowed with a dull silver light that brightened whenever the replica struggled.

The blue eyed girl curled her lip at the replica.

"You're nuts." She snapped. "After what you did last time? Not a chance."

The replica tugged at the chains and growled. "We had a deal, Jess."

The blue eyed girl, Jess, snorted. "And you broke your end of it, Hunter. You deliberately injured innocents the last time you fought."

Hunter's amber eyes widened minutely. "That…was an accident."

Jess opened her mouth to respond, when the 'walls' shook and the 'door' that led to her body flashed red, warning them both that harm had come to the body.

Jess blinked twice and disappeared through the door and into the body.

**TSW**

Smoke curled through the door…or what had been the gym door.

Coughing, Jess covered her mouth. Screams echoed in her ears, making her vision waver for a moment in combination with her headache.

_Damn…I wasn't paying attention._

Attempting to focus past the noise and smoke, Jess closed her eyes.

Vaguely, she heard muffled steps, unlike those of the students around her. Focusing further, she was able to discern two separate paths. Finally, she reached outwards with her sixth sense.

Twenty-nine students…

Four teachers…

And three vampires…

Shit.

**TSW**

Alex was aware of the very second that his pet became aware of what was in the room. She tensed dramatically and her right hand went to her side, for something that was no longer there.

Chuckling, he appeared to flicker and reappear through the fire behind her.

"You shouldn't think so much, Jess. It leaves you wide open." He whispered in her ear, before shoving her forward into the fire.

Jess' eyes snapped open and she 'rolled' in midair, twisting her body to avoid the flames.

"How did-"

Alex cut her off. "Find you?" he laughed. "I _own_ you, Jess. I _always_ know where you are."

Jess' eyes widened with fear and she ducked around Alex's reaching fingers. "No one owns me!" she shouted, running for the door.

The two minions blocked her path, fangs glinting dangerously in the fire light.

"Going somewhere, Hunter?" Alex asked.

Jess glared. "I'm not Hunter!"

Alex slapped her. "Don't speak, pet, unless I tell you to. I've been very lenient so far."

'_Jess. Let me out, you're no match for him like this.'_

Jess shrugged off Hunter's words and dodging Alex again.

"Foolish." Alex sneered. "You're not nearly as gutsy as your darker half, Jess."

Jess ignored him.

**TSW**

Miles away, russet eyes opened.

"She's in trouble." The owner whispered, brushing back long, spiky, soft white hair. He looked at the two others in the room.

The one on his right, playing a game of solitaire, sat back and seemed to radiate a royal air. His silky, tri-colored hair lay flat against his shoulder blades and his crimson eyes looked over the cards before him. He said nothing, but nodded to show he'd heard the other.

Across the room from both of them, a dark purple eyed, spiky blond looked at them both, a crazed gleam entering his eye.

"So, are we going to help our run away?"

"Depends." The white haired man stated.

"On what, Bakura, the state of the sand? She's our friend remember?" the blond sneered.

Bakura rolled his eyes.

"It depends on where she is, Marik." The tri-colored one cut in quietly. "We can only travel so far while our hikaris rest."

Marik sagged. "So where is she?" he glanced from one to the other, and growled. "You don't know."

"Bakura's working on it, Marik, calm down." The other man sneered, moving three cards to their respective piles.

"……Sorry Yami." Marik murmured forcefully, as if saying the words was some type of mortal sin to him.

Yami smirked at him, fully aware that for Marik and to some extent, Bakura, it _was_ a mortal sin to apologize to him.

"She's in America. In California, actually." Bakura cut in.

Yami and Marik stared at him.

"How in the name of Ra did we miss her?" Yami asked.

"Well, we weren't really looking." Marik stated. "It makes sense." He stood. "Shall we?"

Yami nodded, standing as well, his game forgotten.

Bakura laughed cruel and unforgiving.

"Yes." He said darkly, voice rasping. "Let's bring the Shadows home."

The three disappeared in soft swirls of darkness.

**TSW**

Jess bit back a sob of pain, still ignoring Hunter as she yelled to be set free.

The girl couldn't even move, she was in so much pain. Blood poured from several wounds in her head, one of which was dripping said life liquid into her right eye, disturbing her vision. It had been a while, but she was pretty sure that one of her legs was broken and half, if not more, of her ribs were broken and several more cracked. She could bet money on a concussion as well.

"Come now, Jess, just give up. I'm sure you'd make a powerful vampire."

"I-I-I won't." she choked out around the blood in her mouth, and added a punctured lung to her list of injuries as she spat it out. "You will never own Hunter, Alex. We're both too stubborn to submit."

Jess coughed, smoke entering her lungs as she took a deep, dangerous breath, the last thing she saw as she passed out, were three figures stepping around her, not hindered by the flames.

**TSW**

Alex hissed around his fangs. This was not part of his plan.

He could take on the three yamis, but it would leave him weak and should Jess break and allow her own yami control, he'd wouldn't even stand a chance of getting away alive. His mind raced as he weighed the pros and cons of staying here to fight them and hoping Jess' stubborn streak would win out.

Yami felt the inverted gold pyramid grow warm against his chest and it had nothing to do with the flames around him.

"Alex." He murmured.

"We'll take the choice from you." Marik said, pulling out a thin, glowing rod. The top of the rod was a sphere with small wings extended from either side of it, the Eye of Ra standing out on one side.

"After all, we've been looking for Jess and Hunter for years. She's one of us." Bakura eyed the vampire with a dark glint in his eye. "It would be wrong of us to let her die by such pitiful creatures as yourselves now that we've found her."

_**##Be careful, Guardian. We both know that our dear Lady's mind is literally a steel trap.##**_ Bakura warned.

Marik chuckled as the eye of Ra appeared on Jess' forehead.

--**Worried about me, Thief?--** he asked, before diving into his youngest friend's mind.

**TSW**

Jess curled up tightly in the corner of a dark blue room, ignoring Hunter's cries and the comfortable looking bed opposite her.

Her door glowed a deep, darkening red from the amount of damage she had taken to her body.

She whined pitifully when a curt knock came from the other side of the door.

_**--Jess, open the door or I'll do it for you.--**_ Marik commanded.

Jess flinched but the door creaked open slowly.

The blond walked over the threshold, seemingly ignorant of the deep, bleeding gash on his right arm and the bruise forming on his temple, both would be healed soon and were of no consequence to his mission here.

"Marik." she whispered, voice cracking.

_**--What's wrong with you? Why didn't you ask Hunter to help?--**_

Jess winced as she stood, determined not to have this conversation on her Soul Room floor, leaning heavily against the wall. "S-she hurt them…." she whispered.

Marik raised a brow. _**--And? So have you. So have the rest of us. It's all part of what we are.--**_

Jess shook her head. "She killed twenty innocents, because they were between her and a fleeing target, Marik. H-how can I let her out again?"

_**--I'm sure there's more to it than that, Jess, but we'll skip it and go to a similar case-a certain duel between Yami and Kaiba.--**_ Jess looked away, not answering. _**--Had you told Hunter to stop, Jess. She probably would have done so in a heartbeat, the blame cannot solely be placed on the Hunter. At the moment, however, you've got more important things to deal with.--**_

"Like what?" Jess whispered miserably.

_**-Like making up with your yami to save our asses.-**_ a new voice spoke up from the door.

Jess glanced up.

The voice belonged to someone who at first glance could pass as Marik's gentler twin. Like Jess and Hunter, however, there were minute differences.

The newcomer only had one normal eye. The other was completely gold and had the same symbol, the Eye of Ra, the rod in Marik's hand had, and was glowing, the other was firm, mischievous lilac, not the harsh, unforgiving purple Marik's were. His hair lay flat against his head instead of pointing up in every direction like a porcupine.

He also lacked the fangs Marik did.

_**--Malik, you should be resting, you know.--**_ Marik stated.

Malik, Marik's light, or hikari, shrugged. _**-We're all awake. Ryou's healing Jess and Yugi's protecting the four of us from damage done by Yami, Bakura, and Alex. Not to mention the fledgies who have made it their life's mission to please Alex and turn Jess.-**_

Jess winced. "I can't let Hunter go, guys. I can't trust her and she'll get hurt because of it."

_**-Hence, the fact that you're going to make amends. Now.-**_ Malik said, matter-of-factedly, pointing at the open door.

Jess looked at him, and then Marik, and then turned to the corridor.

Malik and Marik flashed from the room.

**TSW**

Outside Jess' mind, the gym walls were covered in black and purple clouds. The fire had simmered to almost nothing upon said clouds' arrival.

Beside Jess' still form, Malik, who must have taken over the body he shared with Marik, knelt on one side, on the other, eyes closed and hands, positioned over Jess' head and heart, glowing white was Bakura's hikari, Ryou.

Ryou had white hair that lay flat on his head, lacking Bakura's 'horns' and reached his lower back. He lacked Bakura's fierce aura and his eyes, had they been open, were a warm brown.

Kneeling at Jess' head, arms crossed over his chest and the air shimmering around them all, was Yami's hikari, Yugi.

Yugi looked almost identical to Yami, although his eyes were amethyst, not crimson, and his hair was an inch or two longer, coming past his shoulder blades, where Yami's stopped.

The barrier shivered as Alex's two minions pounded on it, desperate to get to their Master's prey and Yugi suppressed a wince with each hit.

Malik and Marik split, shaking off the oil-like feeling that came with it with practiced and long time ease.

"Yugi. Take it down." Marik said, an insane glimmer in his eyes that made the minions falter for a moment.

Yugi looked up. "Are you sure, Marik?"

Marik nodded. "Yeah. We've only got a few minutes. We need to either hold them off or destroy them."

"And Alex?" Ryou asked quietly, not opening his eyes.

"We wait and hope Jess can forgive Hunter or we've got one hell of a problem." Malik answered.

Yugi nodded and with some effort, dropped the protection barrier. It was meant to go up and not come back down, afterall.

The two vampires, who were still banging on the barrier, were thrown off balance, which automatically gave Marik and Malik the upper hand.

Yugi glanced at the fight between his lover, Bakura, and Alex.

Even with the two yamis against him, Alex still had the upper hand.

_**/Please hurry, Jess./**_ Yugi thought helplessly. _**/I don't know how long they can hold on./**_

**TSW**

Jess slowly walked down the corridor between her body, soul, and mind. The walls glowed a dark pink, or a light red, occasionally there would be a flash of white as Ryou's healing took care of her body.

Hunter looked up. "Thought about it?" she asked, tugging on the binds.

Jess eyed her. "You swear that we do this my way."

Hunter eyed her hikari. "Do I get to kill Alex my way?" she countered.

Jess looked down chuckling. "Just kill him." she murmured. "And you can deal with it any way you like."

Hunter grinned wickedly. "Get me down from here, hikari."

Jess smirked weakly. "Alright."

**TSW**

Yami could name the exact second the tide changed, and he would proudly say that it wasn't a moment too soon.

His hand was wrapped tightly around a deep slash mark on his side, kneeling and staring up at his comrade, gathering the strength required to move the last few meters and free him.

Bakura was clutched at the throat, struggling weakly, his fingernails were drawing borrowed blood as he clawed at the hand that held him.

"Any last words, Thief?" Alex sneered.

"Ye-yeah." Bakura wheezed as the shadows flexed angrily around them. "Kick his ass, H."

Alex's eyes widened.

"Hey Alex. Drop the dead guy."

Alex spun on his heel and glared at Hunter, who knelt between Marik, Malik, and two piles of ashes. "Bitch." he growled. "You killed my family!"

Bakura winced as he was unceremoniously dropped. Yami staggered to his feet, wincing as he pulled numerous cuts and bruised muscles, and the wound on his side began to bleed just that bit more.

"The Shadow Realm is my domain, Alex. Still want play?" Hunter murmured, watching her prey carefully.

"The Shadow Realm takes its toll on those who summon it, even you know that Hunter." Alex laughed.

"She didn't summon it, we did." Yami cut in, standing over Bakura. "Kick his ass." He seconded.

Hunter moved so fast that even Alex missed it.

Two thuds later, Alex was pinned against a wall of solid Shadows.

"I'm going to enjoy every. Damn. Second. Of this." she whispered, picking up the dagger that had fallen from the limp fingers of Bakura, a wicked grin turning the edge of her lips as she spun the blade between her fingers and advanced on Alex.

**TSW**

Hours later, the huge shadow bubble dissipated and the only remaining ones were Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Marik, and Hunter. Three piles of dust were blowing away in the wind.

Three gold flashes and Hunter stood before Yami, Bakura, and Marik.

"You coming?" Marik asked.

'_Jess?'_

'…_yeah. Let's go home, Hunter.'_

''_Where is home?'_

'_Where our family is.'_

Hunter was silent for a moment longer, before nodding once. "Yeah…. Let's go home."


	2. The Boy Who Lived

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

The Boy Who Lived

Harry Potter woke from his nightmare, screaming.

The door was slammed open and his uncle, Vernon Dursley, stood angrily in the doorway, before the second wave of screaming could even completely finish leaving his lips.

"Boy!"

Harry winced fearfully. "Uncle Vernon-"

"I have told you repeatedly to keep it down." Vernon hissed, advancing on the terrified fourteen-almost-fifteen year old wizard-in-training.

**TBWL**

Twenty minutes later, Vernon left Harry, covered in bruises on his torso, and slammed the door closed, the lock clicking as it did so.

Outside, a man with long silver hair, tied at the base of his neck, one amber eye stared coldly, the other a milky white, signifying blindness.

"Mr. Dursley." He murmured.

"Who the hell are you? Another freak?"

The unknown man chuckled darkly. "You could say that. But not the type of 'freak' you believe your nephew to be…." The man paused to look Vernon over in amused disgust. "Mr. Dursley, your nephew will soon be under the protection of the Shadow Wielders. Next time he comes here, touching him will cost you your soul and so much more."

"What are you spouting?!"

The man smirked, revealing a fang.

"Truth."

Turning, the man walked into the shadows and Vernon collapsed to the ground and knew no more.

**TBWL**

Harry woke slowly on his birthday, just barely remembering to swallow his scream of horror.

_Sirius…. Please…please be okay._

Sitting up, Harry tried to remember the other faces in his dream. They'd all looked vaguely familiar to him, and had that been _Malfoy_ running towards Sirius?

Sighing, he stumbled out of bed, groaning quietly in pain.

"Boy! Get up! We're going out and Dudley needs his breakfast!" Petunia called through the door.

Harry moaned softly.

"What was that?!"

"Yes Aunt Petunia!" Harry called hoarsely through the door. He heard his aunt move away from the door.

Looking at his owl's empty cage, Harry felt a pang of worry.

**TBWL**

When Harry arrived downstairs, mask of apathy in place, Vernon and Petunia were getting ready to walk out the door.

"Nothing better happen to my Duddikins, boy." Petunia said as Vernon escorted her out the door. "We'll be back by dinner."

Harry waited until the car was down the street before sagging against the wall.

"Harry."

Gentle hands helped Harry to a chair, and a glass of water was pushed into his hands.

"Slow sips, Harry." Dudley instructed, getting to work on the bruises that scattered his cousin's upper body.

"I still don't understand why he does this." Dudley muttered. "He never used to lay a hand on you before you started threatening him with your godfather. One would think that he'd _stop_ touching and threatening you instead."

Harry focused on Dudley's voice as he spoke, fighting to remain conscious.

"Here, Harry."

Dudley held out two painkillers and Harry swallowed them expertly.

"Thanks, Dudley. I don't know what I'd do without you the past few months."

Dudley shrugged. "No problem."

Harry sighed and looked out the window.

"Dudley…."

Dudley followed his gaze to the window. "What the hell is that?"

Harry shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never seen it before."

Sitting on the window sill, was a three eyed raven-looking bird. It stared balefully at the two boys for a moment before it took off.

"That was…"

"Weird."

"Yeah."

"You should leave."

The two boys almost snapped their necks they turned so fast.

"Who are you?"

"I can't tell you. You'll be meeting people who could recognize me by name, Potter."

Harry stared at the half-blind man. "Alright. What do you want?"

"And why should we leave?" Dudley added.

The man smirked. "You've just had your first glimpse of my world."

"What world?" Harry asked, suspiciously.

"The world that will be coming to Hogwarts this year."

"How do you know?"

"Just do. Duck."

Harry and Dudley ducked, as one normally does when a command as such is given, and two daggers flew through the window, shattering it and there was a shrill scream.

The two teens looked out the window to see a man with fangs explode into ashes, and the three eyed bird on his shoulder melt into goo.

Harry turned to question the half-blind mystery man, but he was gone.

In his place, was a newspaper with the front page title 'King of Games Visits England' and a handwritten note on the bottom corner of a picture with familiar faces:

Remember your dream, Harry


	3. Two Worlds, One Enemy

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Two Worlds, One Enemy?

_**#Pharaoh, do you **_**have**_** to torment him all the time?#**_

Yami chuckled quietly.

He and Bakura were playing duel monsters, the 'old fashion' way. He had just kicked his ass…again.

_**//He doesn't have to keep asking for a rematch. It's not my fault Thief's too stubborn to just lose.//**_

Bakura glared at Yami.

_**##Bastard.##**_

_**#Thief! That's not nice.#**_

_**##When it comes to Pharaoh, I'm never nice.##**_

_**-Since when, Thief?-**_

_**/I can count on one hand, Tomb Keeper, the number of times that Thief's complimented Pharaoh./**_

_**--Me too.--**_

_**##I didn't know you could count, Guardian.##**_

_**--Ha, ha. Very funny.--**_

'_**Enough boys. We've got a job to do, remember.'**_

"_**Yeah, you're supposed to be keeping an eye out for anyone with our friend's aura."**_

Ryou took back control, and backed out of the conversation when the compartment door on the Hogwarts Express slid open.

"Hello." He said, slipping into his kind and innocent persona with ease, he had been doing it for far longer than he was a practicing White Mage.

Standing in the doorway, were two males, one tall red head, lanky and not yet filled into his height, with blue eyes, and a slightly shorter brunette with a familiar lightning shaped scar and emerald green eyes, Ryou could just barely see the pain hidden behind the bright green, and a bushy brown haired, brown eyed girl with the know-it-all air that had once followed Seto Kaiba around like a storm cloud.

"Erm…hi."

"**Arg! Stupid Pharaoh!"** Marik yelled in ancient Egyptian, ever aware of his surroundings, even through his haze of anger, as he lunged for Yami, knocking Ryou over in his haste to strangle him.

"Malik!" Ryou yelled, ignoring Bakura's cackling in the back of his mind.

Yami's eyes flashed dangerously and he grabbed Marik's reaching hand, yanking him to the ground and pinned him to the floor all in one fluid move.

_**//You should remember, Tomb Guardian, that this is my hikari's body. And **_**nothing**_** harms Hikari.//**_

Marik growled.

_-Yami, let me have control. There are new people around and the Pharaoh didn't intentionally insult you.-_

_--Fine…but I fully intend on fighting him later.--_

_-Whatever.-_

Marik slid to sulk in his soul room and Malik nudged Yami.

"Sorry, Yugi." He murmured. "Can I get up yet?"

Yami hesitated for a moment before getting up.

_//Yugi.//_

_/Alright./_

Moments later, the hikaris were all in control. "Sorry about that. Malik's got a temper."

'_**You've entered Hogwarts' wards. Lady Light and Prince, out.'**_

Neither the yamis nor the hikaris batted an eye as their friends disappeared from their senses.

"It's alright…." The brunette murmured, staring at Yugi.

"Do you mind if we sit with you? Everywhere else is full." The girl said, scoffing at her companions when all they did was stare at the three boys.

"Not at all." Yugi said cheerfully, picking up his deck with reverance.

"I'm Hermione Granger." The girl said as she sat down. "Those idiots are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."

Ryou chuckled when Harry flinched.

"Expecting something?" Malik asked, amused, grinning at Yugi.

"Sorry. Most people make a big deal out of meeting me." Harry said, he sat slowly, still watching Yugi. "You're Yugi Mouto, I guess you'd understand that."

"I am and I do." Yugi grinned, even as he elbowed Malik in the side.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

Harry and Ron stared at her, astonished.

"There's something you don't know?" Ron asked, breathless with only half mock surprise.

Hermione scoffed. "I don't know everything, Ronald."

Malik covered his laughter with a sneeze.

"Yugi Mouto is the muggle King of Games. He's rarely beaten in any game, and I don't think it was ever publicly." Harry explained.

Bakura scoffed.

Yugi smiled.

"The runner up, Kaiba, died almost ten years ago. And Malik Ishtar moved up to his spot in rank." Harry continued. "After that is Ryou Bakura and the world kind of trickles in afterwards."

Yugi eyed the green eyed wizard carefully.

Marik mentally nudged his hikari.

_--There's something different about his magic.--_

_-What do you mean?-_

_--Well, the bushy haired know-it-all and the red head, their magic is a light gray. But Potter's is completely white. Not even a splotch of the lightest gray.--_

Malik moved the conversation to include the others.

_**-So, Harry's like Hikari, Healer, and I?-**_

_**--Yes. It seems that way.--**_

_**##What's this about?##**_

_**-Harry's got magic like we do. Not shades of gray, but a solid color.-**_

_**//He's a hikari?//**_

_**#How do you figure?#**_

_**##Keeper named all lights.##**_

_**#Ah.#**_

_**/So, what are we gonna do? If Harry's a hikari, who's sharing his magical core?/**_

_**--We need to look. His yami is somewhere at Hogwarts, or it wouldn't be so potent. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he or she is on the train at the moment.--**_

Yugi mentally sighed. _**/Great. We can deal with that later. Right now, we'll enjoy the moment of quiet./**_

**TBWL**

Earlier:

Harry kept a close eye on both of his friends, making sure that the pain he felt wasn't noticed by either of them as the chatted about their summer and searched for a compartment.

He felt eyes on him, but every time he glanced around, there was no one. Not even Hermione, who seemed to watch him endlessly since Cedric's death, was watching now.

And Sirius wondered why he blew up all the time.

Shaking his head, he brought himself back to the present in time to see the King of Games pin a blond to the floor of the compartment he and his friends had just entered.

**TSW**

Ryou was halfway through his twelfth game of Exploding Snap when he felt something change. A swift glance told him that the others had felt it as well.

_**##What the fuck?##**_

_**//That sums it up quite well, Thief.//**_

_**--Hush, Keeper's trying to concentrate.--**_

Yugi caught a glimmer of gold and slid away from Malik, under the guise of getting closer to the game.

_/That can't be good, Yami./_

_//It didn't _feel_ good, aibou.//_

**TSW**

Marik watched his lover slide deeper into the Millennium Eye's power, the golden glow around the item that was embedded into one of the walls of Malik's soul room, grew to be almost painful.

With an audible crack, Malik fell to the floor.

"You alright?" Marik asked, kneeling beside him.

"Peachy." The light muttered darkly. "Just fucking peachy."

"I take it what you found isn't good news?" Marik questioned, helping Malik to his feet.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Did anyone piss off Zorc recently?"

"Bakura did. He killed off his last 'child'."

"Than I advise keeping Bakura in his soul room for the remainder of the time we're on this train."

Marik banged his head against the wall.

"Exactly." Malik said dryly.

**TSW**

Bakura didn't take the news well.

When he wasn't in control, the white-haired yami was in the Between Corridor that linked the Soul Rooms of hikaris and yamis, or in the real world as a spirit.

Not to mention that neither he nor Yami feared Zorc in any form.

Finally Ryou was forced to pull out the 'big guns' and promised to make it up to him later.

Even then, he didn't go quietly, leaving Ryou with a massive headache.

"Are you alright, Ryou?" Hermione asked, worriedly as Ryou rubbed his temples.

"I'm fine, Hermione-chan. Only a headache."

_#I really shouldn't give you anything now, you know.#_

_##You will. You're too soft to let me get the brats killed by going back on it.##_

_#Need I remind you that Harry's yami is on the train somewhere?#_

_##............##_

_#Exactly.#_

_##Shut up.##_

**TSW**

Yugi felt Yami turn his attention from the game before them against Malik and Marik, to Harry.

_/What's up?/_

_//Do you think he knows?//_

_/Why?/_

_//Because he keeps staring at the Puzzle and the Ring.//_

_/Is he really?/_

_//Yes.//_

_/Dammit./_

Yami chuckled. _//That's what I thought.//_

_/Should we keep an eye on him?/_

_//Probably on all of them. If they're as close as the bond suggests, he'll tell them and Granger will research the Items until she's blue in the face.//_

Yugi took a moment to think on it.

_/Perhaps a spell. To let us know when they get too close./_

_//……Perhaps. We'll talk it over tonight.//_

Yugi gave a mental shrug and turned back to the duel.

It didn't take long for Bakura to speak up again.

_**##Why is the Dark One focusing so much of his power on the Wizarding World?##**_

_**-That's a pretty good question.-**_

_**//There was Gringotts two months ago.//**_

_**#The Ministry was attacked by 'rogue' vampires half a year ago.#**_

_**--And now the Hogwarts Express.--**_

_**/But we all know that we haven't **_**seen**_** the Dark One since the Items returned ten, eleven years ago./**_

_**##So it means that he's got someone doing all of the conquering in the Wizarding World for him.##**_

_**//Either that, or another Clone.//**_

_**-We'll need to be on our guard. Our normal back up is two thousand miles away, keeping tabs on other players.-**_

_**--And Lady Light and Prince are continuing their research for the Dark One with Shadi and Odion.--**_

_**#That means, don't do anything stupid.#**_

Bakura and Marik both winced.

**TBWL**

Hermione was very rarely not observing her surroundings now-a-days.

Since Voldemort's return, you never knew when an ally could really be an enemy in disguise.

The three boys that sat across from her were making her suspicious.

At random times, one or more of them got a glazed, distant look in their eye. And there was the five minutes that Ryou had been completely tense for as if he'd been having an inner battle.

As much as she wanted to trust them, she just couldn't. Their behavior was far too suspicious.

However, she'd wait a bit.

After all, it was possible she was just being paranoid.

By the time the train stopped, she'd made her decision.

As she had with Remus, she'd wait.

Maybe there was a reasonable explanation here as well.

Cerberus: I NEED HELP!!! More specifically, I need the Readers that duel's help. I don't play Duel Monsters. I have watched all seasons of the anime(including Zero), but that doesn't help me when it comes to creating semi-working decks. The person I used to rely on for this, went to college on the other side of the country, so I'm asking you all to help me create decks for all of the Shadow Wielders, including the two new ones. Yami, Yugi, Bakura, Ryou, Marik, and Malik all need decks and if you listen real close, you can hear them screaming from the safe in my basement. ::grins:: As they're OCs and minor characters(for the most part), making decks for Jess, Zane, Shadi, and Odion are all up to the Readers. Try not to change the major duel monsters for each character, but other than that, the ball's in your court. PMs and Reviews are all welcome.

I await your genius oh wise ones. ::bows out::


	4. First Plan and a Possible Silver Ally

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

First Plan and a Possible Silver Ally

It wasn't until the Sorting began that Ron pointed out that Draco Malfoy, resident pain in the ass, hadn't bothered them on the train.

"What do you think happened to him?"

"Transferred?"

"No way, he's here in the Great Hall, see."

Harry once more felt eyes on him and glanced up through his eye lashes.

His gaze fell almost immediately on the blond head of said rival, Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy was staring in the general direction of the Gryffindor House table.

_Malfoy? Why would he be watching Gryffindor? He's never given a damn about us as a whole before…._

Slowly, Harry raised his head to look at Draco and locked eyes with him.

_What's going on with you, Ice Prince?_

**TSW**

Yami leaned lazily against the door, his hearing, multiplied by years of spending time in the Shadow Realm, his return from the afterlife, and listening to the ominous chains that fought to bind him further to the Puzzle during his imprisonment, was trained on anything outside the door, the last thing they wanted was to be interrupted this early in their game.

"So, what's going on around here, guys?" Malik asked Ryou and Bakura, who had done a reading on Hogwarts itself to pass the time and get a feeling for their home for the year.

Ryou looked up at the blond hikari. "This place has seen dark magic recently." He answered.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, looking up from the scans he was doing on the students beyond the wall, the vague pool of Shadow Magic in front of him going dark as his concentration shifted to a fellow Shadow Mage.

"He means that this school has been visited by someone with dark magic, or someone has repeatedly entered with residue." Bakura answered.

"But what does the castle have to do with it?" Yami murmured.

"The castle is sentient, most likely due to the amount of magic encased in its walls. The Dark Magic is draining its Protection Magic. By Christmas, this place will be open to any attack, by any person." Ryou said solemnly.

"Do you think they realize it?" Marik asked.

"It's debatable." Bakura answered.

Yami raised a brow.

"Well, Hogwarts itself probably realizes it, yes, but whether or not the professors know is a different story."

"They'll realize it when the wards shatter on Yule." Malik said, his Millennium Eye flashed ominously.

"So, what's the plan?" Ryou asked, looking at Yami and Bakura.

"First things first, we need to find out _who_ the tainted one is." Yami said.

"Perhaps we should start in Slytherin?" Marik asked.

"No…." Yugi said distantly, shaking his head and returning the magic to himself. "We have an ally in Slytherin. He's there…but I don't know who it is. I can't tell from here."

Bakura's expression became thoughtful.

"What are you thinking, yami?" Ryou asked.

"Well, up until now, we've been worried about Hermione, but it won't take _all_ of us to watch her. She's a Gryffindor, I'm sure the Pharaoh and his hikari can watch over her and the others. That leaves two of these 'Houses' that the do-gooders told us about on the train. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. And two of us to watch them for signs of possession or turning." Bakura said, his tone as thoughtful as his expression. "If Ryou and I go to Hufflepuff and Malik and Marik go to Ravenclaw…."

"We'll have someone in each house to protect them." Yugi finished.

"Or at least watch over them." Marik said.

"It's a start." Malik said.

Yami nodded. "At least until we've got more to go on."

"We'll also need to know more about the layout of the school." Ryou said.

"Bakura and I can do it while Marik searches the teachers and their chambers." Yami said.

"Works for me." The other two yamis said together.

_**//Someone's coming.//**_ Yami said, hearing the swiftly approaching footsteps.

The Millennium Items flared to life and Ryou stuffed his cards into his pocket.

When McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House walked into, Yugi, Ryou, and Malik looked up at her, hesitation and nervousness shown brightly in their eyes.

**TBWL**

Blaise felt them the moment they entered the room with McGonagall. Their auras glared at him, screaming _Light_. This also told him, as it had been drilled into his head, that they were allies.

He watched as the albino was sorted into Hufflepuff, and almost raised a brow.

The teen didn't _seem_ like he belonged in Hufflepuff. He could see Draco's almost imperceptible frown beside him.

When the blond was sorted into Ravenclaw, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. That one definitely looked like a Slytherin.

The last one, and the shortest only by a few inches, was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Only that last one seemed right to me." Draco murmured quietly.

Blaise glanced at him. "You noticed too."

Draco nodded.

Before they could continue, the Feast began and Pansy turned her attention to Draco.

Blaise spared his friend a sympathetic look and focused on another matter.

_**;Hello Item Wielders.;**_

**TSW**

Yugi felt a gentle nudge against his fortress of a mind and heard the soft, confident voice.

_**;Hello, Item Wielders.;**_

Before he or Yami could speak, Bakura cut in.

_**##Who are you?##**_

_**;A Slytherin.;**_

_**--You're aware that we can destroy you, by magick rights, as you seem to know about the Millennium Items.--**_

_**/Hold on guys./ **_ Yugi cut in. _**/You're the ally that I sensed earlier, aren't you./**_

_**;I am.;**_

_**//What's your name?//**_

_**;Blaise Zabini. You can call me Cougar.;**_

_**#Cougar, huh….#**_

Blaise chuckled. _**;An odd name, as I hold very few of my animagus form's traits.;**_

_**-Why are you contacting us now? In the middle of the Feast.-**_

_**;Meet me at the entrance to the Forbidden Forest, we can talk face to face there.;**_

_**//When?//**_

_**;Tonight at midnight. Most of the students fall right to sleep after the Feast, but just in case…. I'll be in my cougar form.;**_

The presence faded, leaving the Item Wielders alone in their minds.

_**##Well, Hikari, do we trust Cougar?##**_

_**/.…He's trustworthy. He may be one of the few Slytherins who are right now./**_

_**--Good enough for me.--**_

_**//Guardian.//**_

_**--What now?--**_

_**//Find Harry's yami. All the students are here now.//**_

_**-That's a good idea.-**_

_**--Alright. Give me a few minutes. I'll contact you when I find him/her.--**_

Yugi blinked and his eyes narrowed at the amount of hands that were waving and snapping in his face.

"Can I help you?" he asked, deliberately putting a bit of pain, annoyance, and exhaustion in his voice.

"What's wrong, Yugi? You haven't eaten much." Hermione said, gesturing to his plate.

Yugi looked down.

She was right.

Traveling with the group that he did, with the hours they kept at times, they all learned not to eat much. It made it easier when they couldn't get a proper amount of food into their systems.

_//Old habits die hard, aibou.//_ Yami said. _//Let me take over.//_

Yugi gave a mental shrug and obliged.

Between the two of them, they'd finish the plate at least. While the body remained the same, the yami and hikari minds could confuse the body into believing that it hadn't been fed yet, thus eating twice as much as they could on their own.

Yami gave a glance to the people around him, taking in their faces through his own eyes.

No one noticed the change.

With some help from Bakura, all of the yamis had learned to imitate their hikaris when combined, in appearance at the very least, it had taken years to get them to be able to do the same when they were outside of the shared body.

_**--Found him.-- **_Marik said, just as dessert appeared.

_**##Where?##**_

_**--He's a Slytherin, platinum blond.--**_

Yami followed the other's description and raised a brow.

_**//He certainly **_**looks**_** like Harry's complete opposite.//**_

_**#Doesn't he. It's odd.#**_

_**-What is?-**_

_**##The fact that this kid and Harry are the only two that don't look remotely like each other, physically at least.##**_

_**/You're right. The rest of us all look similar to one another./**_

_**-But those two don't.-**_

_**//We'll have to ask Cougar about him.//**_

_**--Sounds like a plan, Pharaoh. Keeper and Guardian out.--**_

**TBWL**

Blaise winced as Draco placed an elbow in his side.

"What?" he snapped, rubbing his side.

"Help." The blond hissed, flicking his eyes to the girl literally hanging on his arm.

"Why can't you?" Blaise asked, confused.

"Because Dumbledore's watching me like a hawk and you're better at slight of hand." Draco answered.

Blaise sighed. "Alright, give me a second."

Truth was, Blaise couldn't do anything 'slight of hand'.

He _could_ do telekenetics.

Transfiguring a piece of his chicken into a spider, he slowly moved it under the table to Pansy's leg. Putting it down, he cancelled the Petrifying Charm and let it run.

**TSW**

Bakura snickered when the girl screamed, flailing around.

_#What's so funny?#_ Ryou asked.

_##I'm probably the only one who saw him do that.##_ Bakura said, watching, as was the rest of the Great Hall, as the Slytherin girl began beating at her clothes.

_#Saw who do what, love?#_ Ryou asked, beginning to get worried for his yami, when all he did was laugh. _#Bakura…?#_

_##I'll need to keep that in mind. She's afraid of spiders.##_

_#Should I pretend to know what's going on in that semi-twisted mind of yours?# _Ryou asked.

_##Nah. The boy next to our new yami transfigured a petrified spider, moved it to her leg, and set it free, all in the space of about three seconds.##_

Ryou sighed. _#I wonder about you, yami.#_

_##You wonder about a lot of things Yadunoshi.##_ the thief answered. _##I just happen to be one of the few that you'll never figure out.##_

_#Gladly. It means you keep me entertained.#_

Bakura laughed.

**TSW**

At midnight, three small tornadoes of Shadows appeared outside the Forbidden Forest.

The three figures were cloaked in black, hoods pulled up over their heads to cover their faces.

A small shadow broke off from the forest and walked into the light given off by a ring on the middle one's chest.

The cougar stared at them for a moment before it turned and walked deeper into the Forest.

As one, the three figures followed it.

_**##Pharaoh.##**_

_**//Hm?//**_

_**##If this is a trap, I'm skewering your hikari.##**_

_**/To do that, you'd have to get through Pharaoh and Healer. And than actually beat me./**_

_**##.... I hate when you do that.##**_

_**/Do what?/**_

_**#Blow holes in his logic.#**_

Five voices snickered while 'Thief' mumbled threats at them all.

_#Don't worry, 'Kura, I still love you.#_

_##I know you do…. Would you really stop me from hurting Yugi if this turns out to be a trap?##_

_#......I'll have to think on it.#_

The cougar led them well into the forest, stepping into a clearing and slowly changing into a teenager with shoulder length dirty blond hair. He stood no taller than Ryou and his hazel eyes glittered in the dim moonlight.

"Hello."

"Blaise." Yami said, lowering the hood on his cloak as Yugi split to stand slightly behind him to his right.

Bakura, Marik, Ryou, and Malik did the same.

Blaise bowed politely. "I'm afraid that I don't know who some of you are. Not by name anyways."

As the yamis introduced themselves, the three hikaris took the chance to look at their surroundings.

The only light came from the Millennium Ring and the wand that Blaise held loosely pointed at the ground.

They weren't the only ones with trust issues.

"Will we always be able to talk to you, Blaise?" Ryou asked, turning to the teenager.

Blaise shrugged. "I don't know. It took a bit of work for me to connect to your minds."

Bakura looked at him. "We'll get back to that. For now, you've got a story to tell."

Blaise nodded. "I've gone to this school as long as Potter has. I'm an undercover Elemental, placed here because we got word that both Dumbledore and Voldemort were pitting unwilling demons against one another."

"But Ron and Harry told us he's only been back a year." Ryou said.

"In his new body, yes. However, even Potter knows that Voldemort's been stuck as a Shadow Specter for almost thirteen years."

"How does Harry know this?" Yami asked, raising a brow.

"Because he proved it. In our first year here, he prevented Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone."

"The what?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone, Marik. You and I went after one about three years after we met Yami and Seth. It creates the Elixer of Life and makes gold." Bakura said.

"Trust you to know that, Thief." Yami said dryly.

"Shut up, Pharaoh."

"Enough, both of you." Yugi snapped warningly.

The yamis flinched and fell silent. It was well known that when Yugi lost his temper, he REALLY lost his temper.

"Moving on, Blaise?"

Blaise shook his head.

"About a month ago, Voldemort started going around demonic haunts again, taking lower classes and bulking them up with some spell so that they're all stronger."

The Wielders looked stunned.

"Exactly. A week into it, the Order of the Phoenix found out and began going directly to the source. Finding half closed portals to the Makkai and pulling demons through. From what I understand, sometime last year, a lackey of Voldemort's got his hands on the Book of Millennium Magic as well."

"But that means-" Malik trailed off, horrified.

"I've got no idea, Malik. I've only heard the name in passing." Blaise said, shrugging.

"Blaise, the Book of Millennium Magic is where my uncle got the spell to create the Items. At the cost of 99 lives." Yami whispered.

Bakura punched a three, shattering it and sending the pieces to the Shadow Realm.

Blaise gapped, stunned at the display of strength and control even when angry.

"Close your mouth, Blaise." Marik said. "Classes start tomorrow right?"

Blaise nodded.

"Good, four of you will be in class, Yami and Bakura will be plotting out the school, I'll send a message to Zane and Jess before I start searching the teachers."

Yami nodded. "Also, Blaise, we need you to keep a close eye on the blond that was sitting next to you tonight."

Blaise's eyes narrowed. "His name's Draco Malfoy. And why am I watching him?"

"Because he's special. Important. Check his aura if you like, but keep an eye on him when we can't." Bakura said, leaning against Ryou as he began to calm down.

"And let us know if you hear anything about that Book." Malik added.

"We'll meet again, soon I hope." Blaise whispered to himself, watching as the shadows floated to the wind.


	5. Clash at the Ministry

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Clash at the Ministry

Malik groaned when he opened his eyes.

_--Blow out the torch, hikari.--_

_-There is no torch. Get up, we've got stuff to do.-_

_--Damn.--_

Marik split from his hikari and summoned his wardrobe to the bedside from the Shadow Realm. He put on all black leather and threw an all black cloak with the Millennium Symbol on the hood over the outfit. On the chest, over his heart on both the shirt and cloak, was the Millennium Circle. On the back of the shirt, was his item, the Millennium Rod.

Malik smiled at him as he put on his 'school outfit', which consisted of black jeans and an off white shirt under his Ravenclaw robes.

"I can't wait to get back into my familiar clothes." Malik murmured, moaning into the possessive kiss Marik placed on his lips.

Breaking it, Marik banished his wardrobe and stepped back.

"Be careful." Malik whispered as Marik disappeared in a swirl of shadows.

**TSW**

Ryou's eyes shot open to glare at the spirit above him.

_#Dammit, Bakura.#_ he snarled.

Bakura chuckled.

_##Wake up sleepy. You've got classes in two hours. And I've got to leave.##_

Ryou took in Bakura's outfit. It was almost identical to Marik's only the Millennium Ring was on the back of his shirt.

The Wielders' cloak lay at the foot of the bed.

_#Do you think you and Yami can handle this?#_

Bakura scoffed. _##Of course we can.##_

_#I'm more worried about whether the two of you can handle this _without_ an argument.#_

_##Ryou, when it comes to a job, _none _of us screw around. When it comes to a battle however….##_

Ryou snorted. _#You and Marik are the epitome of 'playful evil'.#_

_##Ah, but our hikaris love us that way.##_

_#Yes we do…. Now let me up so I can meet the others to train.#_

Bakura obliged and stood, throwing the cloak over his shoulders.

_##See you at lunch, Ry.##_

Bakura grabbed the letter for Jess and Zane before disappearing into the shadows.

Ryou quickly put on what Malik had playfully termed his 'Battle City' outfit and grabbed his robe, and left the room.

**TSW**

Yami and Yugi woke together, as always.

It unnerved the others how in-tune they were with each other. They fell asleep and woke up together every day.

Doing differently was so difficult, it border-lined painful.

Yugi watched as Yami put on the Wielder's chosen uniform.

_/Something's going to happen soon./_

_//I can feel it too, love.//_

_/What do you think it is?/ _Yugi asked as he got up and began dressing in his usual leather.

_//I don't know. But it won't be happening here.//_

_/Perhaps at one of the other Shadow Infested areas. Do you think that Jess and Zane will call us to help?/ _Yugi asked with a smirk.

Yami looked at his lover with bloodthirsty crimson eyes. _//If they know what's good for them they will.//_

Yugi chuckled quietly. _/Be careful, Yami. And keep Bakura out of trouble./_

Yami gave a dramatic sigh. _//That's all I seem good for.//_

Yugi gave him a lustful look. _/I beg to differ, my yami. I beg to differ./_

Yami shuddered and leaned over his hikari.

"Yugi?"

Yami's eyes narrowed and after pressing a quick, extremely unsatisfying kiss to his lover's lips, disappeared in a small tornado of shadows.

"Yugi are you awake at this time of day?" Harry asked.

He was closer now.

Yugi composed himself and bounced out of the hangings. "Yeah. I told Ryou and Malik that I'd meet up with them."

Harry looked at the new Grffindor, half annoyed, half astonished. "You're an oddly early riser."

"For you, maybe. We always get up this early." Yugi waved to him as he flounced out the door. "See you at breakfast, Harry."

Harry blinked, but shook his head.

"It's too early." He mumbled, turning to go back to bed.

**TSW**

Yami appeared on their chosen tower to find himself the last to arrive.

"You're late, pharaoh." Bakura drawled.

"Whatever. You have the letter, thief?"

Bakura held up the letter and Yami nodded.

"Do me a favor, and add in a post mark about any upcoming attacks."

Bakura and Marik looked at him for a moment before the King of Thieves complied.

Marik summoned the monster they used to bring important messages back and forth between other Wielders in the world outside of the Shadow Realm, messages they _really_ didn't want intercepted, the Punished Eagle.

While the Eagle may not have been the strongest monster they had access to, it was easy to summon and it didn't require excess amounts of energy to keep outside of the Shadow Realm.

It also retained the ability to dive into the Shadow Realm and practically disappear, if it were attacked by a creature or person that was not who the letter was intended for. Until its previous summoner, the one who had written the letter, called it once again, both the letter and the monster, would be lost in the Shadows.

The Eagle waited impatiently for Bakura to tie it to its leg before it turned to Marik, its Summoner for instructions.

"**Take it to Jess or Zane. Whomever you find first."** He ordered in Egyptian, the most remembered language for the monsters of the Shadows.

Having first been brought onto Earth in Egypt, all of the Shadow Realm monsters were fluent in Egyptian. Only a select few knew Japanese, the next place the Shadow Realm was awakened, and even fewer understood English, where a small portal was awakened for Pegasus' usage.

With a trailing call, the large bird took flight.

"So, what was that about?" Marik asked, leaning against the wall.

"Just a feeling Yugi and I have. We think there may be an attack outside of Hogwarts walls before Christmas."

"How soon?" Bakura asked.

"Too soon." Yami answered. "I want to get some more fighting in before we're practically trapped here awaiting Zorc's move on Christmas."

"We've got 45 minutes before breakfast starts. Let's train a bit while we wait." Marik said.

Bakura and Yami smirked, and the three way sparring match began.

**TBWL**

Albus watched as a huge eagle-like creature flew past his window.

"Headmaster."

Albus turned around to look at the two teachers, and thus missed the condescending look the bird threw at his window.

"Severus, Minerva. Did you find anything?"

"Perhaps." Severus Snape murmured. "He's still fascinated with that book. He rarely participates in the raids anymore."

"Is he weakening?"

"Not to my knowledge. But last night, he did give us orders to bring him 99 people, alive and unharmed."

Albus looked startled. "99?"

"Yes. 33 elderly, 33 middle aged, and 33 of various aged children below the age of 15."

Albus sat down heavily. "What could he be after? Can you get that book, Severus?"

"No. He keeps it with him at all times."

Albus sighed and looked at Minerva McGonagall, who looked ashen at the thought of what Voldemort would and could do to the innocents.

"Has our defense teacher arrived yet?" he asked.

"Yes. She's heading down to breakfast right now and has asked that all of her classes be postponed a week." Minerva answered, her eyes flared angrily, although her tone betrayed nothing.

"Thank you. Shall we join them?" he asked, standing.

**TSW**

Jess leaned into her mate's hands as they massaged her shoulders, looking at the report in front of her.

"It's possible." Zane murmured into her hair.

"It's more than possible. Zorc is sending the Ghouls to the Ministry armed with Shadow Bands." Jess said. "Where did he come up with them anyways?"

"Um……I think it was Akunadin."

"Seth would be pissed." Jess said sadly.

"Yes he would." Zane answered softly.

The two were interrupted by the Punished Eagle that flew through the window and almost collapsed beak first on the desk.

Jess took the letter and frowning, banished the poor monster.

Zane read over her shoulder and by the end, they were stunned.

"Dammit."

"They've been there for three days, four in a few hours, and they've already found more information than us."

"You'll get over it, Zane." Jess murmured distractedly.

Zane stood. "Send them a reply and come to bed, Jess. Tell them about the attack too."

Jess rolled her eyes. _As if I could do any different._

**TSW**

"Something wrong guys?" Blaise asked, eyeing the agitated Wielders.

"Not really." Marik said. "It's just a …feeling."

"A feeling?"

"Have you heard anything about a large scale attack somewhere outside of Hogwarts?" Malik asked.

Blaise shook his head.

"Nothing."

"Damn." Bakura muttered.

"I'm sure we'll hear something soon." Ryou soothed, playing with the small 'tube' of light with his fingers.

"We'd better. Waiting isn't something that some of us do best." Yugi said quietly.

The group fell silent.

Worrying.

**TSW**

If Harry had to point out one teacher that made him think of the devil, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was it.

Dolores Jane Umbridge was a Ministry of Magic appointed teacher who was so far up the Minister of Magic's ass neither of them could see straight.

And since Fudge was neck deep in denial about Voldemort's return, so was Umbridge.

The OWL class was the only fifth year course that was a mix of all four houses.

At a glance, one could tell it was going to be the most boring class the magic school had to offer.

The first thing that Umbridge did was place the students in groups of three and seat them.

Harry now sat with Draco Malfoy and Yugi. Behind them, Malik, Ron and Hermione. The problem however, for the Wielders anyways, was that Ryou was sitting between Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott, neither of whom had any intention of being kind to the Hufflepuff.

---

_#Yami…please calm down.#_

_##I _will_ send them to the Shadow Realm, Ryou. Now give me CONTROL!##_

_**#No! Thief!#**_

The argument at the front of the classroom between Harry and Umbride had nothing on the potential blood bath in the back.

Yami and Marik rose to control so fast the hikaris' heads rang.

The Shadow Realm began to seep into being, unnoticed, at least for the moment, and Yami put all of his influence over the Realm to work in an attempt to try and keep it that way.

Bakura nearly split the table in half as he gained forced control.

"**Bakura! Stop!"** Marik snarled, grabbing one of Bakura's arms and pulling him away from the two Slytherins' necks while Yami went for the dagger, already red with someone's blood.

"**They're not worth it, Bakura. They're worthless mortals with no clear idea of what they're doing, who they're tormenting. Let it go! **Ah!**"**

Marik landed on the floor, nursing his busted lip and bruised spine.

Yami cursed. **"Bakura! You're blowing our cover and breaking your promise to Ryou!"**

Bakura slowly stopped struggling, snarling at the two Slytherins.

_**##Let me go, Pharaoh.##**_

_**//Are you clearer now, Thief?//**_

_**##Yes…. I need to get out of here.##**_

_**--Alright. Let's go to the forest.--**_

_**/Our excuse?/**_

_**##......Mental disorder, anger management issues, I don't care right now. I need some air and I'll be fine.##**_

_**-We'll get our stuff and deal with the Toad. You go to the tower and wait for us.-**_

_**/And I suggest apologizing to Healer./**_

Bakura shrugged off Yami's hands and turned for the door. Yami and Marik slid back, watching the Thief King storm from the room.

"We apologize, Professor. Ryou doesn't get angry often, but when he does, he's literally murderous. Give him some air and he'll be fine usually, but just in case we're going with him." Malik said, grabbing his and Ryou's stuff.

Yugi was waiting at the door and the two took off after Bakura before Umbridge, with her sickeningly sweet voice, could even begin to think of something to say.

**TSW**

Once they reached the tower, they found Bakura with his head in Ryou's lap.

"You alright, Ryou?"

Ryou nodded, running his fingers through his lover's hair.

"How about Bakura?" Yami asked, splitting from his hikari.

"'m fine, pharaoh. Was just pissed." Bakura answered sleepily.

"Pissed enough to throw me into a table, 'kura?" Marik asked, glaring at the thief.

"I'd be lying if I said I was sorry, Marik." Bakura replied.

Yugi sighed and sat beside Ryou.

"Does this mean that we're not going to the Forest?" Malik asked, leaning against the wall.

"I'm too tired now." Bakura answered.

"What brought that on anyways?" Marik asked.

Bakura growled and Ryou tugged gently on his hair. "An in-class orgy." the white haired healer murmured.

Marik growled and Yami tensed.

While Ryou wasn't the innocent most mistook him for, he was still the youngest of the three hikaris, and the three yamis took protecting their little brother/lover incredibly seriously.

"Well, we'll have to take care of that tonight. For now, let's rest until dinner." Yugi said, desperate to prevent a daylight bloodbath of the likes Hogwarts had never seen.

**TSW**

Dinner came too quickly for Yugi's liking. The three darks and Malik were already plotting ways to get Pansy and Theodore alone for their after hours torture session.

Despite how Ryou and Yugi felt about it, the two didn't try to stop any of them.

The brats deserved it, and punishment for harming a hikari was something that _all_ of the yamis took seriously.

At dinner that night, however, Jess unintentionally saved the Slytherins' lives.

A Blue-Winged Crown appeared and circled the room.

Bakura stood and gave a short, shrill whistle, and the bird flew to him, landing on his arm with Jess' reply.

The thief made a show of the bird bursting into flames, much as a phoenix would as he sent it back to the Shadow Realm.

Quietly, he read over the message.

_**##Damn.##**_

_**//What is it?//**_

_**##The Dark One's launching an attack tonight at the Ministry of Magic. Lady Light wants us to be there.##**_

_**--Damn. And I was looking forward to the torture.--**_

_**/Why do we have to be there? They did just fine without us last time./**_

_**##Ghouls.##**_

_**/Ah./**_

_**--Besides, why would we miss a fight?--**_

There was silence for a moment.

_**//We leave at midnight. Be ready.//**_

**TSW**

Jess stood with Zane, looking down at the battle below them.

"It's going on midnight, Jess."

"They'll be here." she murmured.

"Let's go. They can fight when they get here." Zane said, watching as the Ghouls slaughtered the Ministry workers, pulling souls into the Shadow Realm.

Jess hesitated for a second before drawing her hood over her face and leaping after him.

In moments, the thrill took away all other thoughts.

**TSW**

"Looks like the party stared without us, Pharaoh!"

Jess looked up, as did every Ministry witch and wizard around her.

The Ghouls, predictably, were unfazed.

Three Blue Eyes White Dragons hovered above the Ministry, their great wings beating slowly.

"So it seems, Thief."

"Let's play with the Ghouls."

"Kisara!" Yami yelled.

The center Blue Eyes reared in the air, before it dove, her brothers, following.

_**##Think we'll make front page, Pharaoh?##**_

_**//No doubt about it.//**_

Ghouls were falling even before the three Blue Eyes landed.

"Nice shot, Keeper!" Bakura crowed, leaping off the left Dragon, with another, shorter, but not by much, figure.

All eyes were on the Dragons.

"Sorry we're late. It took some doing getting to London."

"So you chose Ice's favorite monster?"

Bakura blocked one of the Ghouls from taking off one of the Ministry officials' head. "It feels like he's still riding with us."

"My cousin didn't give us Kisara's card to let it go to waste, Jess." Yami called over, stabbing a Ghoul through the heart, while banishing another.

"Hey, won't hear me complain! I'll even help you put 'em to good use. Activate Blue Eyes' Shadow Ability! Summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Zane called.

The three dragons glowed brightly and a huge black Dragon rose from beneath Zane, screaming.

"Attack!"

"Kisara! Attack with White Lightning!"

The two dragons' attacks met in midair and the combined attack lanced outward at the ground, striking down most of the Ghouls and all of their summoned monsters.

"Shadow Wielders! Let's finish this!" Jess yelled.

The Wielders lunged into battle, blades swinging.

Oh yes.

They would _definitely_ make the front page of the _Prophet_ come morning.

**TBWL**

Harry stared at Yugi. The boy had bags under his eyes, but not as if he hadn't gotten enough sleep, but as if he was exhausted inwardly.

Beside him, he heard Hermione gasp loudly.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

Wordless, Hermione handed the paper to him.

On the front page, was a moving picture of three dragons above the Ministry of Magic and a fourth, darker dragon coming up from the ground. The Headline said 'Dragon Summoners save Ministry.'

The article itself told of how robed figures attacked the Ministry of Magic, using an odd form of magic. Just as it was beginning to look dire, two figures, also cloaked, joined the Aurors and helped beat them back. Not long afterwards, the three dragons in the air arrived with another six fighters. Alone, the eight robed figures, who called themselves 'Shadow Wielders' and the four dragons killed every robed figure, leaving none for the Ministry to question.

Harry blinked rapidly.

"So why wasn't there this huge thing about Voldemort returning?" Ron asked.

Ryou and Malik dropped into seats on either side of Ron.

"Because. They've blamed the attack on Sirius Black." Ryou answered.

"What?!"

"Yeah, none of the corpses had the Dark Mark and they were all dressed in deep purple robes." Malik added.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked, suspiciously.

"Because Rita Skeeter did an article on it on page seven." Yugi said, putting his own copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Damn." Harry murmured.

"Hey has there been any word from Snuffles, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing." he answered.

Ron shrugged. "Maybe they're busy."

"Maybe."

**TBWL**

"Hey Blaise, check this out." Draco tossed the _Prophet_ to his friend and sat down.

Blaise skimmed the article.

"Wow…" he whispered. "Who do you think they are?"

Draco shrugged. "Which ones? The Shadow Wielders or this purple robed group?" the blond asked.

"Either." Blaise answered.

"The purple robed ones are probably more of a threat to us than the Death Eaters. At least the Death Eaters we can fend off. This new magic seems to be unblockable. I doubt that Black is behind them. His magic is like ours." Draco paused. "These Wielders…I'm not sure about. Their magic is so much like these robed guys that I don't think the Ministry should trust them so easily."

"They did save the building, and the Minister's life." Blaise pointed out.

"True, but is it possible for them to have a more sinister motive?"

"Yes. It's true. And possible."

Draco shrugged. "The other thing is those Dragons. Tamers from all over the globe are trying to figure out what they are, which means they've never been seen before."

Draco's gaze flickered to Potter and his friends as they stood. He frowned.

"What's bothering you, Draco?" Blaise whispered.

"I'm just curious about the fact that no one else can see them."

"The bruises? They're still there?"

Draco had told Blaise that he was seeing bruises along the Boy-Who-Lived's arms, and they probably covered most of his upper body. Blaise couldn't see them, but since the Wielders were around, he had his suspicions as to why.

"Yeah…but _why_ am I the only one who sees them? Why can't Dumbledore see them?"

"…I've been listening to rumors, Draco, about that group of students that came this year."

Draco raised a brow.

"Maybe we could ask one of them."

"What makes you think they'll know?"

"There's a rumor that they study rare magical abilities."

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "If we haven't found anything by dinner, we'll send them an anonymous owl asking to meet on the Astronomy Tower tomorrow." he finally said. "But it's only a last resort."

Blaise nodded. He knew they'd find nothing. All the books on Shadow Magic, both light and dark, had long since disappeared, and anything on the Millennium Items was under careful watch.

Now to warn the Wielders.

**TSW**

_**//I'm surprised they got the Dragons on film.//**_

_**#It means that someone was closer to the action than they were supposed to be.#**_

_**/They could've been hurt./**_

_**-Or worse.-**_

_**--Somehow, Keeper, I don't think you care.--**_

_**##What do you think? We used Light's real name. She'll have a file somewhere, even if Prince doesn't.##**_

There was silence for almost ten minutes.

_**/We need to be more careful./**_

_**#Indeed.#**_

_**--At least we've gotten the major message out. That there's someone out there that is possibly more dangerous than Voldemort ever was.--**_

**TSW**

The second class of the day was interrupted.

_**;Wielders.;**_

Ryou narrowed his eyes and bent closer to the cauldron, annoyed at the Slytherin for interrupting his lesson.

_**#What is it, Cougar?#**_

_**;Jeez, what's your problem?;**_

_**/Healer's right, this couldn't wait until lunch?/**_

_**;Not really, no. I figure you'll need to come up with something plausible when Dragon comes to you for help;**_

_**-What?-**_

_**;I'm surprised you're awake, Keeper. Aren't you in History of Magic?;**_

_**-We're all light sleepers, Cougar. Now explain.-**_

_**;He's convinced that Phoenix is covered in bruises.;**_

_**#He doesn't look it.#**_

_**##Healer, you of all people should know that just because you can't **__**see**__** them, doesn't mean they're not there.##**_

_**/So, why's he coming to us?/**_

_**;Because I might have told him I heard a rumor that you studied rare magical abilities.;**_

Yami's eyes narrowed. _**//What rumor?//**_

_**;An imaginary one.;**_

_**--You **_**made up**_** a rumor, and expect him not to find out.--**_

_**;I'm betting on his new found desire 'not to mingle with commoners'.;**_

_**//Commoners!//**_

Yugi hid a grin behind his hand as he 'listened' to his lover rant about the blond Slytherin.

_/Yami, love, calm down./_

_//He called us _commoners_!//_

_/And I'm sure you'll get over it. Now pay attention./_

Yami snarled viciously.

_**##You through having a hernia, Pharaoh?##**_

_**#Please, like you're not thinking of gutting him like a fish.#**_

The bell rang.

_**-We'll continue this discussion tonight.-**_

_**--Don't say anything more to Dragon.--**_

_**;As you wish.;**_

The presence faded to nothing.

**TBWL**

Albus Dumbledore was in trouble.

In response to the attack on the Ministry, which they now blamed on Sirius Black, they were 'promoting' Dolores Umbridge to High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

_All of this because he escaped from Hogwarts._

Albus put his head in his hands, Fawkes shifted on his perch.

"Fawkes…what is he trying to do? Blame their actions on the students? I know he blames _me_ for Sirius' escape, but why take it out on the students?"

Fawkes gave no answer.

**TBWL**

Harry winced as he flexed his fingers.

"That woman's a menace." Ron hissed.

"You should report this, Harry! It's torture!" Hermione said, angrily.

Harry glanced at Yugi, who was silently glaring at the marks on Harry's hands.

"Harry, come with me, please?" the boy finally whispered.

Harry nodded slowly, standing to walk out the portrait with the taller boy.

**TSW**

_/I can't believe her!/_

_//I know, aibou, but what are we going to do? She's a teacher. We can't do anything without endangering our secrecy.//_

_/…. Yes there is./_

_//Aibou?//_

_/We can spite her. She wants Harry to be in pain. And we can pass off Ryou's healing on his own special talent, or even his chosen magic type./_

_//…We'll talk to the Tomb Robber and Ryou first.//_

_/Deal./_

**TSW**

Yugi knocked on the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of the Ravenclaw House, and Helga Hufflepuff, founder of the Hufflepuff House, playing a game of chess.

Helga looked down at the two Gryffindors.

"Can I help you, young Gryffindor?" she asked, her voice was kind, motherly.

"Can you ask Ryou to come out please, Lady Helga?" Yugi asked, calling on Yami's mannerisms in the face of the famed founder.

"Of course." Helga turned and seemed to step through the back of the painting. Rowena stared hard at Yugi, before she began to speak in Japanese.

"**Welcome to Hogwarts, young pharaoh."**

Yugi's eyes widened slightly.

"**Yes, we know who you are. All of you. The Thief, the Pharaoh, and the Ancient Temple Guardian."**

"**How did you…"**

"**The Founders' spirits have lived in Hogwarts for 1000 years, young Pharaoh. We've seen two battles, where the Dark One's energy was used."**

"**What?"**

"**In time, child. In time."**

The portrait was opened and Ryou stepped out, flushed slightly.

Bakura floated through the closed portrait with a scowl.

Yami appeared behind his own hikari, both were unseen by anyone else.

"What's wrong, Yugi?"

"**In Japanese, Ryou. This is sort of important."**

_**##What do you want, Hikari?## **_Bakura asked, annoyed.

"**I want Ryou to heal Harry's hand."**

_**##YOU WANT WHAT?!##**_

_**//Calm down, Thief. Hikari's thought this through.// **_Yami soothed. _**//Besides, we don't need another Shadow Game.//**_

Bakura glared, but quieted.

"**We can easily pass the ability off as one of Ryou's more advanced magical talents. And if asked, we can deny anyone who wants help, or deny any involvement at all."**

"**And even ask Harry to keep it a secret." **Ryou admitted quietly.

Bakura stared. _**##You're considering this? Don't we have enough to do without babying him?##**_

"**One: he's one of us. Two: it's an easy way to get back at Umbridge for that detention we've got in two nights."** Ryou reasoned.

Yugi winced, remembering that the three yamis had gotten caught after the newly installed curfew of eight o' clock.

Bakura's eyes narrowed. _**##You're playing dirty, hikari.##**_

"**I learned from the best." **Ryou said truthfully.

_**##Alright. But don't over do it. We're still meeting with Dragon and Cougar in a few hours.##**_

With that, the two yamis disappeared, and Ryou turned to smile at Harry, who looked confused, on the verge of boredom.

"Come on, we can't do this in the open." Yugi said quietly.

Harry was silent for a moment.

"Don't worry, we know just the place." Ryou said with a smile.

Harry blinked, but followed the two strange students down the hall.

After a few minor twists and turns, Harry found himself facing a blank wall.

Yami took over, flaring his power and a door appeared.

"Welcome to the Room of Shadows. I believe that you and the others found its cousin, the Room of Requirement."

Harry blushed. "I didn't know you knew about that." he murmured.

Yami chuckled, the practiced lie falling easily. "We found it a few weeks back. We went back two days later and guess who we saw going in."

"This place is safer. Salazar told me that we'd been the first to open it in almost 1100 years."

Harry grew suspicious and took a step back.

"Salazar? Salazar Slytherin?"

Yami blinked innocently. "Who else? Do you trust us, Harry, not to let any harm come to you?"

Harry hesitated for a second before curiosity won out and he nodded.

Ryou opened the door, and Yami led Harry through it.

The Room of Shadows, accessible by only Shadow Mages, was a rather large room. A good portion of it was taken up by black and purple mats, the rest of it was a comfortable sitting room in dark colors, the furniture colors were ever changing; now they were a dark blue.

Two portraits were on the wall on either side of the fireplace. They were larger than any other portrait in all of Hogwarts. It was to be assumed that should one ever find the portraits of Helga Hufflepuff and/or Rowena Ravenclaw, they'd likely be just as large.

As it was, only the Shadow Realm was protecting the portraits of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin.

"**Not a word, Godric, Salazar."** Yami warned.

Both Founders nodded in understanding.

"Harry, Yugi's asked me to heal your hand." Ryou said quietly, once they'd all been seated.

"He wants you to what?" Harry asked.

"Heal your hand, boy. Open your ears." Godric said, looking down at the boy in question.

Harry winced.

Yami raised a brow at the Gryffindor Founder.

Godric shrugged.

Salazar rolled his eyes.

"It's a gift I've had since I was young." Not a lie. "We all have quirks like that. We've kept them secret. And we'd like to keep it that way."

_**##Sure.##**_

_**//Shut up, Thief.//**_

_**##So rude. And you were a pharaoh?##**_

_**//And now I'm annoyed.//**_

_**##I noticed.##**_

_**#Enough.#**_

_**/Both of you./**_

Harry watched Ryou carefully. "If I let you heal me, will you tell me about this place?"

"Someday." Ryou answered.

"Not today." Yami added.

"……"

"Remember Harry. I'm only doing this because Yugi asked me to. The only other reason I have is it'll piss Professor Umbridge off something terrible, but I can just as easily ask Malik or your friends, Fred and George, for prank assistance."

Harry's eyes flashed slightly with an unnamed emotion.

Yami watched him.

"Alright."

Ryou shot Yami a covert smirk, as he placed Harry's hand in his own.

"**You realize what this could possibly do to him, don't you."**

"**I have an idea." **the pharaoh replied in Egyptian.

"**Are you sure you want this?"** Ryou asked in the same tongue.

"**Ryou, we're going to end up telling Draco something tonight, and odds are, it's going to be the truth. Might as well start with Harry as well."**

"…**. Bakura agrees…."**

"**And you?"**

"**Do I have a choice?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Alright."**

**TBWL**

Harry's eyes widened to the size of golf balls as Ryou's hands began to glow. The soft white light was bright in the dimly lit room.

"Remember Harry." Yugi said behind him. "Not a word. Not even to Ron or Hermione."

"Yeah…." Harry replied distantly.

He knew that he should have been disappointed, but he couldn't really bring himself to care.

It was nice, having a secret that he wasn't allowed to give away.

Suddenly, he felt something rise up in him. Desperately he tried to suppress it, but it was so _painful_.

_**##Fool. Don't do that, it'll destroy you. Accept it, embrace it, but don't reject it.##**_

_But…_

_**##Embrace it or die, kid!##**_

The voice was gone.

Hesitating, he felt the feeling push harder. Slowly, he released it.

White light exploded behind his eyes, before he blacked out.


	6. The New Wielders

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

The New Wielders

Yami, Yugi, Ryou, and Bakura stared at Harry, who had passed out on the couch minutes before.

"How long do you think he'll be out?" Ryou asked.

"Depends on his power. Jess and Hunter were out for a week. So anywhere from a few hours to a week."

"This is what happens when you attempt to deny your magic. I wonder if Draco's been unlocked or if he's just gaining the connection to his hikari." Yami mused.

"He lacks the mental connection." Godric said, leaning against the edge of his frame. "So probably the connection."

"……That's why." Salazar mused.

"Why what?" Yugi asked, turning to look at Salazar.

"Why Potter's unconscious instead of in the coma. Draco Malfoy wasn't here to stem the power flow and make it a bit more manageable." Salazar explained.

"It would make sense." Bakura murmured.

"We better go." Ryou said.

"Huh?"

"We need to get Malik and Marik. We're meeting Blaise and Draco tonight."

Yugi looked at Harry. "I'll stay. If he wakes up, we'll know and can send him back with the knowledge that this is just as much a secret as Ryou's healing. If that happens, I'll meet you at the Astronomy Tower."

Yami nodded and left with Bakura, who had already merged with Ryou and was waiting by the door.

"How much do you remember?" Yugi asked the two portraits.

Godric looked thoughtful. "I don't know." he finally answered.

"After all, how does one know when his memory stops, if no one knows when you died." Salazar added.

Yugi nodded. It made sense.

"So tell us, little pharaoh, who's running Hogwarts now?"

"Albus Dumbledore. From what I've seen, he's a pushover. There's a Ministry of Magic witch running around making rules and the like. He's not doing anything to stop her."

Salazar frowned.

"The Ministry should be unable to interfere with Hogwarts."

"Then what's she doing here?"

"That's a good question." Godric said, frowning. "But what bothers me is that Mr. Dumbledore is _letting_ it happen."

"He's busy." Harry groaned softly. "Professor Dumbledore is trying to prevent Voldemort from rising to further power."

Yugi frowned minutely. _Two hours…that's not a long time…. I don't quite think he's accepted all of his power, just part of it…. What are you afraid of Harry?_

"But what about the immediate threat? At the moment, from what Yugi, Ryou, and Malik have told us, he was only recently restored to his body. He needs time to rest. At this point, the Ministry is the most dangerous enemy you have." Godric countered.

Harry frowned. "You think he's lying?"

"No." Salazar cut in. "We think he's got his priorities in the wrong order. Thinking not of the students under his protection, but the world, which hasn't recognized the true threat yet and doesn't want his help."

Yugi glared at Salazar, and the Slytherin Founder fell silent.

"True threat?"

"The Ministry." Godric covered, coming up with a half truth off the top of his head. "In their attempt to ignore the problem, they are making it so that Voldemort's attacks, when they come, will be unstoppable."

Harry looked down, digesting this information.

"Harry."

Harry looked at Yugi.

"You should go and get some rest."

Harry nodded and stood, swaying.

Yugi frowned and helped him stay standing.

As the two left, Salazar called out in Egyptian.

"**They're meeting in fifteen minutes, Yugi."**

"**Thanks."** Yugi called back.

"What did he say?" Harry asked, curiously.

"Good luck." Yugi answered quietly. "I need to go see Malik, do you mind walking back alone?" he asked, looking at Harry.

"Sure."

"Thanks Harry." Yugi called, running in the direction of the Ravenclaw Tower.

Once out of sight, Yugi stopped, disappearing in soft flash of white light.

**TSW**

Malik stood sharply when feet began coming up the stairs.

There was a flash of light, and Yugi stood beside Yami.

Just as the two merged, the door was flung open and Draco swaggered/stormed onto the tower.

Blaise followed, hands in his pockets, looking bored.

Malik relaxed slowly.

Bakura shifted restlessly in Ryou's mind.

_#What's wrong?#_

_##He's probing.##_

_#Relax, love, he doesn't know yet.#_

Bakura was silent.

"I need your help."

"No you don't." Malik said quietly.

"You need information that we can give you. The choice itself is yours." Ryou said.

Blaise's eyes widened.

_**;What are you doing?!;**_

_**//You wanted us to help him.//**_

_**;You're telling him?!;**_

_**##Stop broadcasting, Cougar.##**_ Bakura snapped, watching as Draco turned slowly to look at his friend.

"Blaise?"

Blaise winced.

"I summon the Shadows." Malik drawled quietly.

Draco hit the ground.

"What did you do?!"

"Hush." Yugi whispered, taking several silent, slow and measured steps towards the two Slytherins.

_**//We have to get out of here. She's coming. You and Draco must have tripped the wards at the bottom of the stairs.//**_

_**##How long?##**_

_**//Seconds.//**_

_**--We need to leave. I'll take him to the room of Shadows.--**_

_**/We'll meet you there./**_

Marik took over and knelt beside Draco. The two disappeared in a swirl of Shadows.

Yami grabbed Blaise and the two disappeared, leaving Bakura behind.

The door ricocheted off the wall as it was opened. Umbridge stood with her wand pointed at him.

"Don't move, Mr. Bakura."

Bakura smirked nastily, in a way that hadn't been seen since he'd been freed of Zorc's control, and stuck his hands into his jeans pockets.

"Welcome, Professor. I'm glad that I finally get to meet you face to face, and not through my landlord's eyes."

"Who are you? I'll make it known now, possession is illegal and I am within my rights to deal with you with the full force of Ministry Law."

Bakura chuckled darkly. "Perhaps, of course, you won't be able to report it to your Ministry. While I've been forbidden from _banishing _you to the Darkness, I have no problems with tearing the memory from your weak and pitiful mind."

The Millennium Ring, dormant for three days, flared with energy at the simplest touch.

"You will remember none of this!" Bakura cackled.

**TSW**

Yami and Marik looked up at the flare of Shadow Magic.

"Seems Bakura's having his fun." Marik murmured.

"Awaken, young one." Yami whispered, kneeling by the couch they had lain Draco on (and Harry, although neither Draco nor Blaise needed to know that just yet).

**TBWL**

Draco groaned quietly. His head felt like it was splitting in two.

"Open your eyes, Draco. It's dark here."

The voice was quiet, regal, commanding. His first thought was royalty, but in this day and age, true royalty no longer existed.

"He's exhausted. I didn't expect them to have such an effect on him."

Another voice, another vaguely familiar voice.

There was a gust of almost pleasant wind. It stirred something in him, screaming to retaliate, to reach out to kin.

"He's still not up?"

This voice, along with a memory.

A threat to Slytherins.

A flash of white hair before chaos.

The first Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Evil.

Destruction.

Power.

There was a sharp tap to the top of his head and Draco's eyes snapped open.

There, standing over him, was the thing that had attacked Pansy and Theodore.

Standing over him, was a demon.

**TSW**

Bakura stared at the youngest yami. "I've got very little patience for you right now. And _you_, Blaise, are even worse."

Blaise winced. "Sorry."

"Sorry…. The joys of that word."

"Bakura, calm down."

"THEY ALMOST GOT US CAUGHT!!" Bakura screamed. "THEY WOULD HAVE EXECUTED US FOR OUR UNFAMILIAR MAGIC!"

"Who's to say we couldn't have broken free." Yami countered, standing. "I thought you were the 'fearless King of Thieves' there was no cell that could hold you."

Bakura snarled, he remembered making that statement. Long before Zorc rose to power and he had given the rest of the Pharaoh's priests and guard a reason to trust him.

"For four years you've kept your temper, Thief. What's going on?"

Bakura deflated completely.

"What are you afraid of, Yami?"

"Not many things."

"What?"

"………"

"For four years, I've held my temper because my light was safe. For twelve years, we trained them, from the moment I was free of the Dark One's control, we began to train Ryou, Yugi, Malik…Seto."

"We lost Seto, Yami. Who's to say we can't lose the others?" Marik asked, catching onto what was bothering Bakura. "You're afraid we'll lose."

"I never completely liked Seto; it was easy to shrug the grief to the back of my mind. By the end of this school year, Zorc will arrive here with an army. Ghouls, Shadow Monsters, and the Realm itself. We're assuming that he at least _works_ with Voldemort, who will follow with his own army of dark creatures, wizards…dragons. The eight of us, even with the Elementals at our back, we've still got _nothing_."

Yami flexed his fingers.

"You ask me what's wrong. WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

Yami _moved_, blurring so that the only thing the remainder of the room saw was Bakura landing on the floor.

Bakura tentatively touched his cheek. He had forgotten just how much of a punch the Pharaoh could throw when he wasn't pulling them.

"You're a coward. You asked what I'm afraid of. Yes, I'm afraid of losing Yugi. But not once, has that fear _ever_ connected with this particular war. I have far too much faith in Jess, Hunter, and our abilities. If we need an army to beat them, Bakura, we'll find one. We'll make one."

Bakura shook his head. "Optimist."

"Pessimistic bastard. Guess we're even." Yami extended his hand to help the thief up.

**TBWL**

Blaise watched the escalating fight worriedly. He knew that should Shadow Magic start flying, there was nothing he could do. He hadn't gotten that far in his training with Hiei and Chaz.

When Yami punched Bakura, he had fully expected an all out Shadow Fight, based on their personalities. He was surprised when Bakura just sat there and listened to Yami tear into him.

Draco sat on the couch beside him, his face unreadable.

Yami finally turned to look at Draco.

**TBWL**

"How do you feel?"

_How do I feel?_ Draco asked himself. _Am I supposed to feel this weak?_

"Draco." the boy looked at the Ravenclaw. "How do you feel?"

_**Truth…**_

The word was whispered in the back of his mind, compelling him to answer it. But answer _who_? He was pretty sure it wasn't pertaining to the conversation he was having.

"I don't know. Weak? Tired."

The non-Yugi, as it couldn't _be_ Yugi, he was taller, his hair different, an air of assurance and confidence surrounded him, raised a brow in question. "You wish to ask us some things."

Not a question.

"Yeah…."

"Ask."

"Who the fuck are you?"

The three 'boys' chuckled.

"It was bound to come up after 'kura's guilt trip."

"Alright…you've confessed weakness in us, we counter and confess truth."

_Get to the point._

_**Impatience…**_

_**Restlessness…**_

Draco's eyes almost rolled back into his head, when the three 'exchange' students, began to glow, and split into another three beings.

Soft hands caught him as he blacked out.

_**Confusion…**_

**TSW**

Ryou caught Draco as unconsciousness welcomed him back.

"Damn." Malik muttered, moving aside so that Bakura could help lay the boy out again. "I was just getting comfortable."

Marik pulled his hikari into his arms, nuzzling his neck.

He'd be lying if he said that Bakura's fears weren't his own. Of course, he'd also be lying if he said that Yami hadn't reassured him a bit.

He could see Yami, just barely as he spoke with Blaise about something. Blaise was angry.

The Millennium Rod caught the light of the fire, glinting and drawing his gaze.

Could they really do what Yami had implied? Could they really create an army?

Looking at Blaise and Yami thoughtfully, he began to wonder. Blaise would have been taught at an oddly young age to fight and protect himself. Was it possible to do so with the rest of the students at Hogwarts?

_We'll see what happens with Harry and Draco. And move on from there._ He decided. _Although…we've only got until Yule before they begin to attack us. Voldemort and Zorc both…. Man. We're going to be knee deep in shit soon enough._

**TSW**

"What the hell were you thinking?" Blaise hissed. "If something happens to him, we're all screwed. Lucius Malfoy will come down so hard on Hogwarts; it'll never be open again."

Yami raised a brow. "Are you through yet? We didn't knock him out. He passed out from the stress."

"Stress _you_ all caused!"

"We did _not_, Blaise, and I severely suggest that you watch your tone _and_ your tongue, clear?"

The threat was there. And Blaise knew Yami'd go through with it in a heart beat. Elemental he may be, the Elementals and the Shadow Wielders had a respect-first-friendship-second relationship. Both groups were powerful within their own factions, the Elementals within the demons and the Wielders among the magic users, and equal respect was almost required. It often appeared that the only exception to this were the two leaders.

"What's going on Yami? I've told you everything I know, but you've barely told me anything. Why are you so afraid to try and trust me?" the teen pleaded.

Yami's eyes glinted. "Trust can't be bought, won, or rushed, Elemental. It must be earned."

Blaise sighed. "Then at least tell me what's going to happen to my friend."

Yami hesitated, feeling Marik's gaze on him. "Nothing. We're going to tell him what he is, and train him to control the abilities that come with such a title. At this point, he's probing unconsciously, and it's dangerous, should he come up against the wrong people."

"Probing? What does that mean?"

"It means that he's reaching out with untrained, or weak in our case, Shadows to search out other Shadows. It pulls on them, but were he to do it in battle it acts like a rope of magic. He can pull on it, but someone like me, Bakura, even Voldemort, could take the other end and pull back. Then its down to who pulls harder. A trained Wielder can let go, and both the connection and magic are lost, but someone like Draco, who's got very fragile control on his powers, would allow them to leap out of control and tug back. The amount of power could kill anyone within range of the fight. And without his magic, Draco would die."

Blaise looked ill.

"How long will it take?" he asked.

"That depends on Harry."

"Potter?"

"Yes. Harry is Draco's light. There is no absolute magic. The Shadows are uncontrollable without a Light to equal them. Together, they form one incredibly powerful, magical core, which both sides use."

"What's the difference? We've all got magical cores."

"Yes, but a Wielder's magic and a Wizard's magic, whether they follow the Item Wielders or not, will always be different. The Shadows are stronger than even the darkest Wizard's magic."

"You could go against Voldemort?"

"And win with ease." Yami answered.

"Damn." Blaise whistled quietly

"This is why I say that we need to train Draco. His magic could get him killed."

"That still doesn't explain why we're waiting for Potter."

"Harry's refusing part of his power. It can't balance Draco's out as, he's already accepted it, subconsciously, of course."

"Damn…."

Yugi walked over and Yami smiled at him.

"He's waking up."

"Draco?"

"And Harry."

"Damn. We'll need an excuse in the morning. Oh well, we'll deal with it later. We'll start with Draco."

**TBWL**

For the second time, Draco woke with a headache.

He groaned as he opened his eyes.

Ryou was holding a finger in front of his eyes.

"Follow it with your eyes, Draco." he commanded.

He did so, too tired to argue about the stupidness of the request.

"This _is_ a lot to take in, isn't it?" The white haired boy whispered. "Sit up slowly."

Draco pushed himself up, slowly, and Ryou sat back on his heels. A hand appeared on the Hufflepuff's shoulder, and Draco followed it up to the demon…Bakura?

_Isn't that his last name?_

_**Annoyance…**_

_**Worry…**_

"How do you feel, Malfoy?" Bakura asked.

"Er……"

"He won't bite you…hard."

The non-Yugi again.

"Bakura's got a temper, you noticed." Yugi said. "This is Yami, and the crazy one behind Malik is Marik, confusing, yes, but you'll get used to it."

"You're all crazy."

Blaise shook his head.

"Not quite, Draco. They know what's wrong with you."

"Not really wrong, per say," Malik drawled. "Just different."

"And wipe that sneer or we'll leave you to die." Yami muttered, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"Truthfully, I was ready to do it." Bakura muttered.

Draco looked at him.

Ryou stood and pushed his look alike into a chair. "You need to understand, Draco, we're a lot more than we appear to be. We're not teens in our fifth year."

"Ryou, Yugi, and I are in our twenties."

"And Bakura, Marik, and I are over 5000."

"And Blaise?" Draco asked, shooting a glare at the other Slytherin.

"I'm only 18. And I'm not completely with them."

"A spy than."

"Yes." Blaise answered quietly. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you more just yet."

Draco snorted.

"Draco."

The blond looked at Yugi.

"What Blaise is doesn't matter. You're not like him. You're like us."

"And what the hell are you?"

"Wielders." Marik answered. "We're Shadow Wielders."

_**Pain…**_

Draco clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth.

_**Nothing…**_

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It's like an overshadow of pain. And then nothing."

Yugi's eyes widened fearfully. "Harry." He breathed.

"We got him. Come on Yugi."

Ryou and Bakura glowed and then only Ryou stood there.

Yugi and Ryou both disappeared in what appeared to be a vortex of light.

**TBWL**

Earlier:

Harry woke with a groan. His head was throbbing slightly.

Glancing at the bed beside his, he noticed that Yugi had yet to come back. He was slightly annoyed with the tri-haired boy, as he'd promised to help him with his Herbology essay, but never shown up after going to see Malik.

That and the slight pressure that had been in the back of his mind since Ryou had healed his hands.

_What the hell is that?_

_**Pain...**_

_**Exhaustion…**_

Harry stood from his bed and walked to the door. Opening it, he went down to the common room and sat down.

_I wonder if Umbridge caught him. It's after the 8:00 curfew._

_**Fear…**_

_**Slight Pain…**_

"Harry?"

Harry's gaze shot to the fire place, where there was a head of long, shaggy, black hair. Blue eyes watched his godson's every move.

"Sirius!" Harry breathed, falling to his knees in front of the fireplace.

"Hello, Harry."

"Sirius, what's going on?"

"I'll get to that. I need you to tell me what's going on inside the school. Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall won't tell the rest of us anything beyond the basics."

Hesitantly, Harry told Sirius everything, including what he promised Ryou he'd tell no one.

Sirius looked thoughtful.

"There are rumors, Harry, especially from Bill Weasley, about a darkness forming in three tombs of Egypt. The curse breakers can't even get into two of them. Writings on the few they can get into, speak of an ancient power. More powerful than any magic seen yet."

_**Impatience…**_

_**Distrust…**_

_**Sorrow…**_

"What does that have to do with anyone?"

"Harry. This power is similar to what was used at the Ministry…between both sides."

Harry sat back, crossing his legs.

"So?"

"Dumbledore thinks that…"

"Thinks what, Sirius?"

"I have to go, Harry. The Order's here and I'm not supposed to tell you anything. As soon as I can, I'll let you know more alright. Be careful, Harry."

Harry nodded and walked to the couch once Sirius was gone.

_What does Dumbledore think? And where the hell is Yugi?_

There was a sharp pain in his head.

"No…"

Harry closed his eyes and groaned. He stood and moved to the boys' staircase to warn Ron, but never made it.

He collapsed after two steps, screaming.

**TSW**

Ryou threw up a barrier the second they entered the room, preventing all sound from entering it and exiting. Once that was in place, Yugi poured his and Yami's magic into making a convincing illusion that no one was in the room. Ryou doubled up the barrier, strengthening his second one up around Harry's head, and lowering the outer one around the fire, so the crackling sound echoed through the common room, but Harry's screams only echoed in their ears.

_**/If he's still conscious, and screaming, why can't Dragon feel him?/**_

_**//Because he's not in his mind anymore. The bond's still in its early stages.// **_Yami said, looking through his lover's eyes.

_**/Ah./**_

_**#Look.#**_

Bakura appeared in spirit form to watch as well.

Ron and Hermione both ran into the common room.

"Where is he?"

"That _was_ him, right." Hermione asked.

Ron nodded. "It sounded like one of his nightmare/vision things."

Hermione looked around once more. "We'll ask him tomorrow. For now, lets go back to bed."

Ron looked around once more before he went back to bed.

Ryou narrowed his eyes. _**#This has happened before.#**_

_**##Damn…this kid's got it rough.##**_

_**//We'll help him.//**_

_**/Of course. He's one of us. And Isis knows our lives are never **_**easy**_**./**_

_**#Let's get him to Keeper.#**_

_**/Quickly./**_ Yugi agreed.

Each of the hikaris grabbed one of Harry's arms and disappeared.

**TBWL**

Draco almost jumped out of his skin when Yugi and Ryou appeared with a screaming Harry Potter.

"Marik! Malik!"

Bakura split to help Ryou and Yugi hold the flaying Gryffindor down, Yami moved to help as well.

"What's wrong with him?" Malik asked.

"No idea. But apparently it's happened before."

"It's like a seizure, but you don't scream during a seizure. You're never really _aware_ during one." Ryou said, motioning to Blaise to come and take his spot.

Running his hands over Potter's head, Ryou hissed, and came away from the scar. Blood poured from it, and Ryou's hand was smoking lightly. "What the hell…."

"It's a curse scar." Draco said, not really sure why he thought it important.

"Dammit."

Malik frowned. "Move aside, Ryou."

Ryou moved and Malik dropped the illusion? on his right eye, revealing a solid gold, glowing eye.

It took all of Draco's self control not to want to vomit at the mental images as to how it got there in the first place.

**TSW**

The Millennium Symbol appeared on both Malik and Harry's forehead.

As Malik delved into Harry's mind, he noticed that the boy was mentally screaming the same thing he was screaming in 'real life'.

"NO!"

Malik's eyes narrowed and he followed the screams to a glowing greenish doorway on the pathway between Soul Rooms. With narrowed eyes, he threw the Eye's power deeper into the younger light's mind.

Finally, he was through.

Voldemort stood before a large cauldron of boiling humans remains, all of them appeared to be fresh kills and none were killed by magic, a change in pace for the Dark Lord.

Malik gagged as he recognized the ritual. Above the cauldron, just barely visible against the black night of the sky, was a _very_ familiar figure.

"What are you doing here?"

Malik looked over at Harry beside him. _**–I'm supposed to help you back to your body, Harry.-**_

"You know where I am?"

_**-Voldemort's mind.-**_

"But-"

_**-Harry, now's neither the time nor the place.-**_

"……how do we get out of here?"

Malik smirked and grabbing Harry's wrist, stepped back and released the power over Harry's mind.

**TSW**

Malik's eyes snapped open.

Harry groaned and Draco stepped away from his head.

"**What did you see, love?"** Marik asked, slipping into Arabic.

"**Millennium Ritual. And Zorc."** Malik answered shakily.

"**Voldemort's making an Item?"** Yami asked, eyes narrowing.

"I think he's making an Item for Zorc actually. Zorc was floating above the cauldron." Malik said.

"Do you know what step he's on?" Bakura asked, almost shaking in his rage.

"……he was throwing _kids_ into that cauldron alive. He was burning them alive. I…I could _smell_ their flesh burning. Feel his anticipation and glee. He was getting…." Harry was shaking and Hogwarts answered Salazar's request for a pail just as Harry decided to be sick.

Draco was shaking.

He'd heard rumors of course, about Harry's possible connection to the Dark Lord. None of which were inside of Hogwarts or from respectable circles. But to actually see it, and what Harry saw when he entered the Dark Lord's mind….

Slowly, something rose in him. A compassion.

_Do I want to help him? To comfort him?_

Blaise looked at the blond pityingly.

_**;He's confused.;**_

Yugi walked over to Draco. "Not yet. Let us explain to you both first, alright."

Draco nodded, still confused.

Ryou laid a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry. We've got a confession. And it involves you and Draco. Sit down and we'll explain, alright?"

Harry nodded shakily and Ryou helped him to his feet.

Draco's eyes narrowed and a protectiveness rose in him.

"Draco." Bakura snapped.

Draco blinked.

"Blaise. I apologize, but you can't stay for this."

Blaise shrugged. "I figured. I'm not a Wielder. I'll see you tomorrow. If you're not done, I'll throw a couple of bruised golems in the Infirmary to cover for you."

"Thanks."

Blaise left the room.

**TSW**

Draco sat closer to Harry than he probably should have, but no one, not even Harry, called him on it.

In fact, the Wielders looked like they were expecting it.

"Harry. We've already told Draco, now we're telling you. And unlike when we told you about Ryou's ability, for your own safety as well as ours, you CANNOT say anything."

Harry nodded, looking curiously at the doubles in the room, in the back of his mind, he wondered how it was that they knew he hadn't kept Ryou's ability a complete secret, but that was easily brushed aside for the moment.

"We're six of the eleven or so Shadow Wielders in existence." Yugi said. "Seven of us are of this time, modern time. Four of us aren't. Yami, Bakura, and Marik are from Egypt, 5000 years ago."

"The Millennium Items, these," Malik, Marik, Yugi, and Ryou held up their Items. "Have basically made Malik, Yugi, and I immortal, as we're bound to them. The other four of our group are exceptions. Jess is bound to her demon lover, Zane, and her dark half Hunter."

"Hunter's the fourth one not from your era." Bakura said. "She's around 2000 years old and from another world completely."

"You both got this so far?" Marik asked.

Draco and Harry nodded hesitantly.

"That's nine of us. The last two, are you two."

Draco and Harry froze.

"What?!"

Yami chuckled.

"They've got that part down."

"No way. Not to him."

"You think this is any easier for _me_?!"

"Enough, boys. This explanation is far from through, or as simple as saying 'its not possible, it doesn't exist'."

"You've both noticed, probably in the back of your minds feelings, emotions that aren't yours but feel like they belong there." Bakura said.

Again, both teens nodded, eyeing one another warily.

"That's the beginning of the link. Each dark and light _can_ communicate telepathically. We all can, and eventually so will you two."

"We hate each other." Draco said.

"Do you?" Marik asked.

"The darker halves are jealously protective of their Lights. It would explain why your power began to spread when Ryou touched Harry."

Draco blinked, looking down. "I wasn't even aware I was letting it out of control."

"That's because you're not aware of the real power you have. For wizards of your kind, you're both extremely powerful. More powerful than anyone in your year, or likely in the entire school. Your teachers think you have great potential in anything you do, so long, of course, that you keep your grades above average. Your peers equally respect and are jealous of the ease that you can cast high level spells, especially you, Harry, who is only a half blood in the eyes of this society. Your houses look to your for leadership and guidance because even if they don't _know_, they are unconsciously aware that you're powerful enough to lead them with the confidence and assurance of Merlin himself."

Draco and Harry both flinched at the reminder of the expectations placed on them both.

"My family name gives me that power over the Slytherins." Draco stated.

"It gives them reason to fear you. But none of them do. They follow you loyally and without question. And that is something that fear, just can't simulate."

"And the fame that comes with being the Boy-Who-Lived? How do you explain that away?"

Yami shrugged. "We don't. They bask in your presence because you did the seemingly impossible. You survived a curse that no one in your era ever has. But you didn't do something impossible. You didn't survive at all. You were never _hit_. The Shadows have protected you your entire life, from the moment they were awakened when Yugi completed this," he gestured to the Puzzle. "To this moment. In this world, the only one who has ever been able to touch you, is one another."

"That doesn't explain why I've never had a jealous thought about Potter in my entire life."

Marik snorted. "Of course not. But you hate Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. You can pass it off in whatever form you like, but you hate them because they _touch_. They touch what they have no right to touch, and Harry doesn't stop them, because he sees nothing wrong with it. A _hikari_ thrives on physical affection, because it simulates what's missing. Until you two unite your magical cores, Harry feeds off of the affection, touch or otherwise, of others."

"But you, Draco, you watch them touch and you can't explain for the life of you why you hate it so much. You can't explain why you see things about Harry Potter that his friends and House mates seem to ignore completely. Why you've seen the bruises that litter his frame, and _hate_. You hate that someone his physically harming something that your entire being calls out to protect. You watch as he flinches away from the touches that he once leaned into and wonder why none of the teachers stand up for him. Why the adults that are supposed to watch over their students, have just let it continue."

Harry stared at Draco in horror, hands immediately going to where his bruises had once been.

Draco shifted slightly. "I've seen them since the beginning of the school year. I watched them heal and knew that there was no one here at Hogwarts that was hurting him, and moved on."

"Bullshit." Bakura stated. "You want revenge. You want to make them all scream in terror as you rip them limb from limb."

"You want them to suffer as what was yours suffers." Yugi whispers. "Harry will be against you the entire way, because they are _innocents_. They have done no harm to the world around them."

"But we know." Marik whispered. "Yami, Bakura, and I. We _know_ the amount of suffering you want to bring on his abusers, because _no one_ harms a hikari and gets away with it. It has always been an unspoken rule, even when we were out to kill one another, that we kept it between the yamis. The hikaris could interfere as they saw fit, but we never went out of our way to harm _them_. They are the most important. They are what we require to survive. And we will go to any lengths, to protect them."

"I've driven people insane. Killed people, for laying hands on my hikari, Draco. Protective rage is nothing new to us." Yami said. "And while they may not _like_ it. They _accept_ it as fact. They can't change the way we feel about them. And it goes against everything a hikari is, to actively want to kill anything. No matter how much damage they do to them."

"We have forced control to protect them. To kill for them."

"Even now we do it. It's why Bakura took control of Ryou in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Yami said.

Harry blanched at the memory.

"His anger was only doubled because he loved his hikari." Marik added. "A few seconds more and our cover as Shadow Duelists would've been blown."

"How? How could you possibly not hide this, if you're all as powerful as you say you are?"

"You'll see later." Ryou said.

"You may not even become lovers. Jess and Hunter aren't. At the very least, you'll be the best of friends." Yugi said.

"What happens if we don't do anything?"

"You die of separation anxiety." Ryou and Malik said together.

Draco blinked. "It's happened before?"

"Yes. Between my cousin and Seto Kaiba." Yami said. "Seto firmly believed that magic didn't exist until the last two weeks of his life. Thus he refused to accept Seth as a part of him. Seth protected Seto and his brother Mokuba regardless. By the time Seto began to accept Seth, it was too late. Those two became the most hardworking of all of us. The separation weakened them, but it never stopped them. They fought with us for two weeks and did more than the rest of us have in twelve years." Yami said.

"Seto and Seth were both killed in battle ten years ago." Bakura said. "But given another week, and they would've been dead anyways."

Marik put a deck of Duel Monsters cards on the table.

"These were Kaiba's. Even now, we still use them, integrating them with our own decks." Marik said.

Yami flipped the top three cards over and the two boys gasped.

Staring up at them were the three Blue Eyes White Dragons.

"We promised Seth that the cards would never lay in a glass case, and would be used in the final battle."

"His Dying Wish, the equivalent of an 'Unbreakable Vow' in your magic." Ryou said.

Harry looked away.

"A lot of us lost someone to Zorc the Dark One." Malik whispered.

"Zorc…he was that _thing_ over the cauldron wasn't he." Harry asked.

"Yes." Malik answered.

"So what are we going to do about this bond?"

"Nurture it." Yami answered.

"How?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"As you stand now, you're rivals. I'm sure you didn't understand _why_ though, do you?" Yugi said slyly.

Draco raised a brow. "The Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry is legendary."

"It is." Godric said. "However, Salazar challenged me to keep me on my toes. To make sure that even if he wasn't there to protect me, I could protect myself."

Harry was silent.

"That doesn't make sense." Draco huffed.

"Yes it does." Harry whispered. "Last year, in the graveyard, some of the spells I used, dodging Death Eaters, I learned from _you _using them between classes."

Yami and Yugi smirked.

Draco blinked.

"Your only rival, Draco, is someone who knows you just as well as you do. Seto _and_ Bakura are mine."

Draco looked Harry over.

"Now, we've got a suspicion that by Yule, the school will begin getting frequent attacks. We've got until Halloween to get the bond at least stabilized." Yugi said.

"Tonight, you two can stay here. Draco, you're the darker half, you'll be the one to open the door." Malik said, waving to the door that led to the rest of the school. "Harry, you'll be able to see it, but not open it. I don't recommend borrowing magic to do so this early in your connection."

"Every night, you two have to come here and do your homework and get to know each other. Blaise and Yugi will come up with an excuse to cover for you." Ryou added.

"Get used to continuing to having jealous thoughts when Ron, Hermione, or anyone but Yami, Marik, or I touch him, Draco. Just because you're aware of it, doesn't mean watching it will be any easier on your possessiveness. You should probably expect it to get _worse_ before it gets better." Bakura said, glancing at the glowing numbers on the back wall.

11:57pm

"Godric and Salazar can help with homework and questions about our magic, but if you need to search us out, do so." Yami said. "New or not, you're one of us now, and Wielders look after their own."

"It's almost midnight and we've got to go. This weekend, make excuses _not_ to go to Hogsmeade. Meet us here and we'll begin helping you with the 'foreign' magic you've gained. Draco, try not to get angry or frustrated until then. Especially not in large crowds, while it may be easy to erase a few memories, we can't do a crowd without spending time in a coma." Marik ordered.

"Any questions?" Salazar asked with a smirk.

"Uh-."

"Good."

"See you tomorrow guys." Yugi said grinning.

The six Wielders disappeared leaving Harry and Draco alone.

* * *

Cerberus: I'm still looking for Decks for the Wielders, the Three Yamis and Hikaris especially. They don't have to be guideline/rule book worthy. Create a deck that you think a Character in the Shadow Wielders would use, and so long as it fits the Criteria(it must revolve around their Soul Creatures and, if possible, but not necessary, stick to as much of their Deck Type as possible). If it fits all of the Criteria, and is 'sent in' by the time that I use a Deck in the Story, I will use it for one of the 'Main Characters', if not, I will attempt to fit it in with one of the minor Characters(the DA or the Elementals(whom don't fight with decks, but play the game all the same).

I'd really appreciate if at least Yami, Bakura, and/or Marik had a deck within the next three or four Chapters. I thank the beloved Readers who put up with the extremely long and drawn out Hiatus that this Story(both new and old) took.


	7. Learning and Meeting Zane

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Learning and Meeting Zane

The next three days passed quietly, for the most part.

Harry and Draco, although awkward and extremely doubtful and distrustful of one another at first, slowly began to open up and get to know one another, after being forced to spend supervised sessions with Godric and Salazar in the Room of Shadows almost every spare minute of every day.

While they had help from Blaise and Yugi, their time away from the Common Rooms so often, was catching the attention of their closest friends. Yami warned that there was a chance that they may need to extend the Alliance, rather than repeatedly turn them away with half truths and outright lies.

The fact that they were both suddenly closer to the Wielders than they were to the friends that they'd had and trusted for years, was causing a quiet stir among the rest of Hogwarts as well, however no one had outright said anything yet, and the rumors were shallow and unimportant at best.

Godric and Salazar watched over their progress, but it was in the other Wielders that they received the most help and information, as they weren't just Wielders; they were Guardians and the original Summoners.

Harry would often stay awake, listening to Yugi and Yami explain the complexity of the yami-hikari bond, curious as to why the bond itself was still fluxuating. At complete random, the bond would flare, bringing with it emotions and feelings.

They explained to him that their complete lack of trust in one another, was the cause of said fluctuations. Despite all the progress that they had made, there was no other way to deal with five years of cold, unpleasant rivalry.

Information into the lives of one another was easy. It was gaining the other's trust that was going to take real time.

On the second day, Marik and Bakura sent Jess and Zane an update on life at Hogwarts, including the upcoming training in the darkest form of magic.

**TSW**

Yami looked out at the grounds, Yugi was in Transfiguration and that meant that he couldn't be seen. He was currently staring out at the Forbidden Forest.

Something was different.

He wasn't sure what it was, but at the moment, there was no way to go and explore it.

The Wielders weren't exactly authorized to get into it. That was Elemental Territory, and without an invite, trespassers would be shot, so to speak.

Yami tilted his head curiously as feet pounded up the stairs towards the tower.

With a sigh, Yami turned, fading to his spirit form as the footsteps got louder.

To say he was surprised when Severus Snape ran onto the tower in black robes, completely unlike the robes he normally wore, would be an understatement.

_What's he doing?_

"Damn fool. Summoning me during the middle of the school day." The greasy haired man murmured. "Does he _want_ me to get caught?"

Yami's eyes narrowed in dark suspicion and, slipping into the Shadow Realm, he stepped out, solid and dressed in full Wielder garb.

**TBWL**

Severus Snape was not having a good day.

He'd woken up and found that the Weasley twins had somehow gotten to his wardrobe and turned half of his robes into pink, _singing_ fuzzballs.

During his Gryffindor-Slytherins lesson, no less than nine cauldrons exploded.

Then there was the summoning.

And now this.

"Who are you?" he asked coldly, wand pointed at the threat on the opposite side of the Tower.

The figure was silent, so Severus looked him over, never lowering his wand.

His cloak was darker than the night, covering his entire upper face. Over his heart, were the same symbols that were on the cover of the Dark Lord's book.

The figure smirked.

"Your mental shields are weak when you're surprised."

Severus' eyes widened.

"You've seen the Book, in the hands of your Half Master."

"What book?" Severus asked, evasively.

The figure's smirk grew.

"Snape…you know _exactly_ what book I'm talking about." The figure chuckled. "The Book. The Book of Ancient Magic."

"Who are you?" he repeated.

"…for the moment, you may call me Pharaoh. Stay safe. And don't worry…your godson's only going through a _wondrous_ change. Tell your mentor to meet me at the museum's Egyptian exhibit."

The figure stepped backwards into a huge black hole of unfamiliar magic he'd arrived in and disappeared.

Snape frowned, before he turned sharply and touched the portkey that would take him to the Dark Lord.

**TSW**

Yami flipped back the hood of his cloak. "Mahaad."

The Dark Magician (2500/2300) appeared before him.

"Search out Bakura and Marik."

"Of course, my pharaoh."

Mahaad faded from the Shadow Realm, and Yami molded the area to fit his needs, chairs that had been banished in fits of anger spread around comfortingly.

"What the hell? I was in the middle of rearranging Snape's potions." Marik said, annoyed.

"Yeah, Pharaoh, if this is some do-gooder thing, count me out." Bakura snapped.

"Actually, I plan on screwing with the wizards." Yami said off handedly.

"Bakura…."

"Pharaoh, you feeling alright?"

"No. I think I'm channeling you two. Did you turn Snape's wardrobe into pink Kuribohs?"

"Nope." Bakura said, looking innocent.

"Bull shit. But he's annoyed and it was funny." Yami said quietly, pausing. "I'm meeting with Dumbledore later."

"What?!" Marik yelped.

Yami rolled his eyes. "As Pharaoh, you idiot."

Bakura sat down.

"What are we going to tell him?"

"What do you want to tell him?" Yami countered.

"…well…we should at least tell him what the Ritual does." Marik murmured.

"Yeah…."

"If Dumbledore doesn't respect you, Pharaoh, what are you going to do?"

"Speak through Snape." Yami whispered, looking into the distance. "He's trustworthy, at least he seems so. His loyalty to Draco is unquestioned…. He has potential, if nothing else."

"We'll have to ask Yugi and Blaise." Bakura said.

"Of course." Marik said, standing. "And classes are out."

"Any news?"

"Not from them."

"Damn."

"Let's get out of here."

**TBWL**

"Did he say anything else?" Albus asked.

"No." Severus said, watching his mentor pace.

_How? How did he get past the wards? Without even _bending_ them, let alone _break_ them?_

"Albus."

"Yes Minerva?"

"Will you meet with this Pharaoh?"

"…Yes."

"But why? This could be a plot of the Dark Lord's."

"It's not. The Dark Lord's still waiting for the ritual to finish. He has no care for the Order or Harry Potter. My opinion, though you may not want it, _Minerva_, is that he believes, after it is finished, he will no longer _need_ to fear the rest of the World."

"But-"

"We still don't know what this ritual does?"

"Not a thing."

"…I'll go now. If we're not back, Minerva, send for Alastor and Nymphadora."

"Of course, Albus."

**TSW**

_**##He still hasn't shown up.##**_ Bakura drawled lazily.

_**--It's been two hours.--**_

_**//You two have no patience.//**_

_**##Yes I do.##**_

_**//Not today you don't, Thief.##**_

_**--Albus just entered the building.--**_

_**//Follow him. And be careful.//**_

_**--Joy!--**_

Yami stood lazily, his cloak drawn up to conceal his face, though it was after hours, and no one was around.

_**##Hey, Pharaoh, I think Snape's lingering.##**_

_**//Let him. Albus isn't the only one with back up, after all.//**_

_**--It's not like one of us can't take on both of them.--**_

_**//Well, let's play dark ones.//**_

_**-Be careful guys.-**_

Malik's voice was distant, like talking long distance over a crappy phone line, but he was the only one who had the ability to contact them through the long distance.

The Millennium Eye was the only Mind Item still at Hogwarts, after all.

**TSW**

Marik slid through the darkness, jumping silently from artifact to artifact. Dumbledore's light led him like a beacon.

_You know, that's probably not smart. If the cops come by…._

Marik snickered evilly, and Dumbledore paused, looking around.

"Anyone there?"

_**##Guardian, what the hell are you doing?##**_

_**--Sorry, I scared Albus.--**_

_**//Sorry my ass. Stay quiet.//**_

_Jeez…I said sorry._

Annoyed, Marik waited until Dumbledore passed into the Egyptian Exhibit before slipping into the Shadow Realm.

**TSW**

Bakura was flat out bored. He'd had nothing to do for two hours other than randomly do readings on people who stopped to vomit up their nightly drink.

Of course, there were those completely foolish drunks whose soulless corpses were now laying in a corner, their wallets empty and their contents in Bakura's pocket.

A thief was still a thief, after all, no matter the good deeds he pulled as a Wielder.

By the time Snape showed up, it was all he could do to not to challenge the professor.

As it was, Bakura now had enough evidence to prove to anyone who asked that Severus Snape was the main taintant of the Hogwarts wards.

The man was unknowingly threatening his hikari, and that just wouldn't do.

_Once we get back to Hogwarts…. Marik and I will joyfully torment him every night._

Bakura's eyes glowed softly, wickedly beneath his cloak as he took in the results of his most recent reading.

_Yes…watch your step professor. Things in your life are about to change drastically._

**TBWL**

Albus felt eyes on him, but no one was in the exhibit. His wand's glow spread light everywhere.

"Evening Albus."

Albus turned quickly.

Behind him stood a figure exactly as Severus had described him. He stood regally, his voice was strong, commanding, and made even Albus wish to bow to him, not an easy accomplishment.

The Headmaster took note that his contact never made any move to uncover his features.

"Are you Pharaoh?"

A smirk. "I am."

"May I ask why we're meeting here?"

Pharaoh shrugged. "It makes me feel at home."

"You're from Egypt."

"Many years ago." Pharoah answered, walking past the Headmaster, his stride graceful, confident. He was more than aware that he was in charge. "You know, you mortals are all incredibly foolish."

"How so?"

"How many have you lost to the pyramids in the past day alone?"

Albus was silent.

"Indeed. Most sane beings would have long since walked from them."

"Nothing gained ever comes easy."

Pharoah's chuckle was as rich as his voice, and twice as deprecating.

"That is true."

Another silence.

"Stop attempting to get into the pyramids."

"Why?"

"Because there's nothing in them. Do not anger Osiris."

"What do you know?"

"Albus, what I know or do not know, is none of your concern as of yet." Pharaoh walked towards Albus, his voice turning dark, powerful, and threatening. "What do you know of the location of your Dark Lord?"

"We don't know anything. He has been staying low since his rebirth."

Pharaoh chuckled, an amused and partially condescending sound.

"Albus…we have an extremely tentative alliance as it is, even if _you_ do not know you have one. Do not lie to us, and we will not lie to you. Is this…acceptable?"

"What do you have to give?"

"The Shadows." A new voice spoke, this one dark, angry. It did not sound like someone Albus wanted to be alone with. In a dark alley or otherwise. A shudder went down his spine, and Albus was suddenly very glad for Pharaoh's presence.

"Thief." Pharaoh greeted.

Thief leaned casually against the doorframe.

"You know, I always wondered if the 'Magical Community' really dressed as stupid as the stories say. I can now proudly say they do." Thief drawled, twirling a dagger in thin, elegant fingers.

His voice sent more shivers down Albus' spine.

"Did you get to it, Pharaoh, or are we all waiting on a slacker?" Thief asked.

Pharaoh shrugged. "Getting there, Thief. And here. It'll match Healer's eyes."

Pharaoh flicked his wrist in Thief's general direction, a brooch, dark chocolate color swirling with a tan.

"Thanks." Thief muttered, smirking as he snatched it deftly out of the air.

Pharaoh smirked. "Moving on. I don't recommend going after Voldemort, Albus. He no longer fears you."

"Pharaoh! Thief! Cops saw the old man's light!" another voice yelled cheerfully, as if he was going to enjoy the mayhem this event could potentially cause.

The insanity in the voice alone, made Albus wonder about the state of mind of his mind for not denying this new 'alliance', Pharaoh had apparently given him. At the time, Albus had been too enthralled with the other's presence to deny him anything. It was something to watch out for the next time they met.

"See you around, Professor." Thief said, as the two cloaked figures disappeared into portals of darkness.

**TSW**

Marik almost choked on his saliva, he was laughing so hard. Draco and the hikaris stared at him.

"What's with him?" Malik asked suspiciously, eyes dark.

"He called the cops, then waited until they were in the building, probably only a couple of room/meters away, before he deemed it time to warn the rest of us." Yami answered dryly.

"Probably to get back at you for your comment, pharaoh." Bakura smirked.

"Shut up and give Ryou your fucking gift, Thief King."

Bakura preened, rather than scoffed at the Pharaoh's sarcastic usage of his title, and walked over to pick up his amused hikari, taking his seat, and putting him on his lap.

The two began to whisper together in Egyptian.

"Hey, when are we gonna learn that anyways?"

"Eventually." Yami muttered. **"I'm so tired. That asshole kept us waiting for two fucking hours before showing up."** He told Yugi, sliding down to sit beside his lover.

Malik stared at his hysterical yami for another five minutes before he walked over and slapped him.

Marik stopped laughing with a yelp, turning with the blow instinctively, but it still hurt enough to leave a mark.

"It really _wasn't_ that funny, Marik." The hikari said, crossing his arms. "And you're scaring the kids."

Harry and Draco bristled.

"Homework." The annoyed light snapped.

Yami, Yugi, Ryou, and Bakura sighed sadly, wincing as the door slammed behind Malik.

"What's with him?"

"This is the anniversary of his older sister's death." Marik said, quietly. "He's always moody, especially with me."

"How did she die?" Harry asked.

"That's what pisses him off. It wasn't Shadow Magic, or even part of the war. She was shot, through and through. We couldn't protect her, or save her. In the end, she didn't die as a former Item Wielder. She died a normal, everyday woman." Bakura said.

"…that sucks."

"It does. Ishizu was the 'mother' of the group. Not to mention the last blood relative Malik has left." Yugi said.

"Now, mushy moment over. Do your homework. We got places to be in the morning." Bakura said.

Harry, Draco, and Yugi turned back to their homework.

**TSW**

Zane watched his mate sleep, wondering, not for the first time, how the girl got through the days now that the war between Wielders, Elementals, and Vampires was in full swing, and in the 'open'.

Slipping out of bed, he placed a strong sleeping spell on her and walked into her 'office'.

The room was painted almost exactly like the Shadow Realm. The furniture was all black, although at the moment, all that was in it was a desk, computer, and closed window, the shades and curtains pulled to black out the moonlight.

This room held the only technology ever linked to the Shadow Realm. Summoning a chair, he sat at the desk, flicking his wrist, he opened the window, allowing the night's breeze to blow through the house.

Sighing, he leaned back and watched the statistics and images flash by on the screen.

_What are you up to Zorc? You haven't entered the Shadow Realm in almost three weeks._

Glancing at the window, he saw the Eagle, Hermes, flying towards the house.

"Hermes…." He muttered quietly, offering his arm to the Punished Eagle. **"Any idea what he found?"** he asked the bird, taking the letter.

Hermes cawed and shifted.

"**Thanks Hermes, rest. I'll use Mercury to reply."**

Hermes could have purred, had he been a cat.

Zane nodded to the bird as he sent it back to the Shadow Realm.

Breaking the Millennium Symbol, he opened the letter, and after glancing at the fluctuating Shadow Realm, as it always was the past week, he read the information update.

Reaching the end, Zane clenched the note tightly.

_Shit…. If Zorc's creating an Item, it would explain the Shadow Realm's restlessness._

""Hmph. You're weak, Zane.""

"Shut up."

""You care too much for your own good.""  


"And you're the ass of the party, Dorian."

Dorian laughed. ""You flatter me, Zane.""

"I'm sure. Now go away while I plan a visit to the new Wielders."

""I wish you'd stop ignoring me, Zane. Your life will be so much easier."" Dorian's voice faded, regardless.

With a sigh, Zane stared at the computer screen. _Zorc…. What the hell are you after? You got my father's kingdom and three Items…what more could you be after?_

**TSW**

Bakura was restless.

Although he had enjoyed the ability to erase Umbridge's mind, it seemed that she had turned her attention back to Harry.

His bond with Ryou thrummed, Ryou was just barely holding his restless yami from roaming.

Tomorrow, they'd begin training Draco and Harry in the warded tower. Yami and Marik were up on it putting the finishing touches on Bakura and Ryou's strongest ward, adding their own to it to make absolutely sure that they wouldn't get caught.

_#Just a little longer, yami. Ten more minutes and then you can spar with Yami or Marik.#_

Bakura growled audibly.

_##I don't _want_ to spar, yadonushi. I want to tear her fucking head off!##_

Ryou winced visibly.

"Something wrong, Mr. Bakura?" Umbridge asked sweetly.

Ryou looked up and could _feel_ Bakura in his gaze. "No, Umbridge-sensei. My hand's just stiff."

Umbridge kept eye contact longer than she should have.

The candle over her fell, and her clothes quickly caught fire.

_#Bakura!#_

_##Wasn't me. You really think she'd be alive if it was me?##_

Ryou blinked. It was true. _Hey…._

_#Hey, Bakura, look.#_

Bakura, who had begun ranting about a random creature/person being able to attack the Toad Woman whereas he could not, began to pay attention again.

A cloaked figure passed the door.

_**/Who the hell was that?/**_

_**#You saw it too?#**_

_**-Yeah.-**_

_**##Who was it? It's not an Item Wielder. The symbol wasn't on the front of the cloak.##**_

_**/How the hell could you tell, Thief? We only saw a second of it./**_

_**##I'm a thief, Hikari, my name should have told you that much. If not reliable, we're observant.##**_

_**/Oh but of course, how could I have forgotten?/**_

_**-You think that person was the one to 'knock' the candle over?-**_

_**#It's likely.#**_

_**##More than likely, Healer. Much more than likely. That, was telekinesis.##**_

_**#Like Cougar?#**_

_**##Yup.##**_

_**/But Cougar didn't do anything./**_

_**-Nope.-**_

_**#So by default, it's our cloaked friend.#**_

_**##Hopefully. Notice we're the only ones that caught him moving.##**_

The hikaris discreetly looked around the room. No one else seemed to have noticed the blur of black outside the door.

_**##For people, who look out that door all the time because of Umbridge's poor teaching methods, to have not noticed a lingering figure, they've got to know how to move.##**_

Yugi shook slightly, a slippery feeling coming over his skin. Malik did the same behind him.

Yami and Marik had returned.

_//Open your mind, hikari, you're tense and I want to know why.//_

Yugi obediently slid back a portion on his mental barriers, revealing the scene to his yami.

A soft nudge let him know when Yami was through as the pharaoh fell into a contemplating silence.

_**##What do you think?##**_

_**//He's dangerous. Fast, telekinetic, and there's a lingering demonic aura.//**_

_**--He's also a possible ally.--**_

_**##He did attack Umbridge.##**_

_**//True…. But he wouldn't be the first one to pretend to be a friend.//**_

_**-Sorry.-**_

_**/It's alright, Keeper. We've already forgiven you./**_

_**#Now Thief on the other hand….#**_

_**##What did I do?##**_

_**#YOU CUT ME!!!#**_

_**##Oh……oops.##**_

_**// 'Oops'…wow Thief.//**_ Yami said distractedly.

_**#And he can't even pretend it was the Dark One, since he hadn't completely woke until Battle City was over.#**_

_**-Hey, stop picking on Thief.-**_

_**##Thank you.##**_

_**-Umbridge is watching.-**_

_**##KEEPER!##**_

_/Yami?/_ Yugi asked worriedly.

_//It…I feel like its familiar.//_ Yami whispered hesitantly.

_/What is?/_ Yugi pressed.

_//The aura.//_

_/Oh. What's it feel like?/_

_//………Hunter. It feels like Hunter.//_

The bell rang, shocking Yugi back into the real world.

"Come on, Yugi. Apparently we've got to talk." Harry said, pulling Yugi from the room.

**TBWL**

Blaise and Draco made their way to the Room of Shadows after school ended.

None of the lights had been in class, and both wanted to know why.

"I wonder what happened." Draco wondered aloud.

"Huh?" Blaise asked, tilting his head to look at his friend.

"The bond flared during Defense. Harry was worried…shocked, about something." Draco explained.

"Don't know. I guess we'll find out won't we." Blaise said, watching as Draco opened the door.

He watched as tension seemed to wash from Draco's shoulders at the sight of his hikari, if only for a moment and smirked.

Draco could deny it from now until doomsday, but Potter _was_ growing on him.

Harry, Yugi, Ryou, and Malik hadn't been in class the rest of the day, although Harry would be the only one in trouble. Yami, Bakura, and Marik had gone to class for the others.

No one, not even Draco or Blaise, could have known, had it not been for the almost unseen pranks in each class on Pansy and Theodore.

It seemed the yamis were getting part of their revenge.

_He likes him…and doesn't even know it._ Blaise thought, smirk growing wider.

**TSW**

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"Someone set Umbridge on fire." Harry said.

Draco blinked. "I thought it was Bakura."

Said yami appeared in the room, annoyed. "Hikari, all of your friends are going to wind up in the Shadow Realm at this rate." He turned to Draco. "And I thought you knew, setting things on fire is Marik's job. And that wasn't any of us. If you watched carefully, you could've seen a figure outside the door.

Yami and Marik had followed Bakura.

"Now the questions are: Who is he?" Marik added.

"What is he?" Yugi said.

"Is he an ally?" Ryou asked.

"Why does he feel like Hunter?" Yami said.

"And whether or not it's the thing in the forest." Malik finished.

"So no pressure." Blaise drawled. "I'll ask the others if you'd like. See if I can patrol the forest." he offered.

"How long would it take?" Yami asked.

"Half a week to two weeks, depending on where they are." Blaise answered.

"Wonderful." Yami muttered distractedly.

The door shimmered and a bird passed through it, circling above all of them."

"That's Mercury." Yugi said. "He's Jess' bird."

"Why does he circle like that?" Harry asked curiously.

"He's trained like that. He recognizes our whistles, so even if someone was pretending to be one of us, they couldn't intercept the message." Yugi answered.

Yami whistled and Mercury dove to land on his arm.

He sent the Blue Winged Crown back to the Shadow Realm.

The room was silent while he read the response.

"It's from Zane." Yami said, tossing it onto the table for any of the others to read.

"What's he want?"

"A few things. First, he's coming to meet our young Dragon, most likely sometime soon, based on the distance and time it takes for the birds to travel." Yami looked pointedly at Draco. "And he's warning us that Dorian's talking to him again."

Bakura and, surprisingly, Ryou swore.

"Who's Dorian?" Draco asked.

"You didn't mention him." Harry added.

Yugi frowned. "To understand who Dorian is, you need to understand what Zane is." He began.

"About a hundred and fifty years ago, a Master Vampire, Lorenzo, escaped Earth through the Shadow Realm during the Cleansing, the time that witches and wizards hunted magical creatures that were causing problems. As it happens, the Potters led this one." Malik said, looking at Harry. "The 'dark' families gladly harbored Lorenzo's Clan, probably just to spite the 'light' families. While the hunting continued, a darker clan, led by Zorc the Dark One in the form of a thousand year old Vampire named only, The Master, rose from the Shadow Realm. This caused the first of hundreds of unlikely alliances."

"I remember parts of this from my family's history." Draco said.

"I would guess you would. Malfoy Manor harbored over three hundred of Lorenzo's Clan alone." Malik answered.

"Anyways, this alliance was between a Legend and what she was supposed to kill." Yugi said. "The Legend was the first Demon Killer in seven hundred years, to be born female. She was hired by the Potters to destroy the vampires. This young woman, about twenty-seven years old, named Alexandria, decided that The Master's Clan was more of a danger and Lorenzo believed that The Master compromised his species' existence. The two raised the first army of both humans and demons. It was also the only time that all of the Wizarding World worked together."

"Lorenzo and Alexandria left Earth together ten years later, taking the remaining twenty Vampires. They set up another world, ruling over it as the King and Queen of Demons."

"Lorenzo and Alexandria had one, immortal son, twenty-one years ago. He is the rightful king of DR by blood. He's the Prince of Demons." Bakura said, bringing the story to a close.

"What happened to Lorenzo and Alexandria?" Harry asked.

"They were killed, ten years ago by Zorc. Their son, both human and demon, a half breed, has two minds. The half demon, Zane, and his full demon mind and instincts, Dorian." Malik said.

"Dorian is unstable. More so than myself or Bakura. Lorenzo was unable to help him with it before Zorc attacked DR." Marik said. "Trust me when I say that Dorian's only alliance is to Zorc's destruction. No matter who dies to achieve it."

"He'd kill us all in less than a heartbeat." Ryou whispered.

"So nice to see you all trust me." An amused voice stated from the door.

Harry and Draco turned to look at the new comer.

The man in the doorway could have passed as Harry's long lost older brother. Long black hair was tied at the base of his neck, the ends falling over the sword with a large sapphire embedded in the hilt's end. The sword was sheathed over a black cloak with an 'L' over the Millennium Circle. Sharp blue eyes glinted with wary amusement.

"Yo." The new Wielder smirked.

"Draco, Harry, this is Prince Zane 'Dorian'. We still can't pronounce his last name." Yami introduced.

"Don't try. None of you speak my natural tongue." Zane advised. "And only call me Prince when doing Wielder work or when using the overall or combined link."

"Or when you're trying to piss him off." Bakura smirked.

"You suck, Bakura." Zane stated dryly.

"You don't look like a vampire." Draco commented.

Zane opened his mouth and his canines grew another half an inch, sharpening to almost nothing.

"I take it back."

Zane chuckled. "So, you're learning our magic tomorrow, huh."

Harry and Draco nodded.

"Congrats."

"So Draco's Dragon," Zane dropped into a chair. "And Harry's Phoenix. You know the others yet?"

"Er…."

"Guess not." Zane muttered. "I'll let you figure it out." He turned to look at the others. "You almost gave Jess a heart attack during that Shadow Meeting."

Bakura shrugged. "With the way this school's being run, Zane, the Shadow Realm is safer right now."

Zane's blue eyes flashed a momentary, malevolent amber. "Explain."

"You've heard that the Ministry sent a woman to Hogwarts."

Zane leaned back, seemingly oblivious to the blade that must be digging into his back. "It's been all over the newspaper."

Harry winced.

"Well, she's slowly been taking over Hogwarts. She's enforced a curfew of eight. While that's not a problem for us, it makes life difficult for Blaise, Draco, and Harry."

"Hm. Continue." Zane's eyes swam with evidence of his thoughts.

"A few days ago, Bakura erased her memories, Blaise and Draco triggered one of her spells, and she found him on the tower."

"The bitch deserved it." Bakura snapped.

Zane tilted his head towards the thief. "How?"

"Unspoken motto 'Wielders, willing or unwilling stand as one.' Umbridge had a black quill. Marik found it in her office. She used it on Harry."

Zane's eyes flashed amber once more and held. "What else?"

Bakura growled.

"She allowed sexual harassment in her class." Yami cut in, his crimson eyes locked with Zane's.

"Ryou." Zane stated, annoyed.

Ryou winced when one of the chairs was swallowed by darkness, taking up residence in the Shadow Realm.

"Bakura, was that necessary?" Godric asked.

"Shut up, or you'll be next." Bakura snarled.

"Watch your tongue, Thief. Go and spar with Marik." Zane ordered.

"Hey! What about Yami?!"

"Yami's telling a story." Zane answered. "Both of you, out."

Marik and Bakura disappeared into the shadows.

"Move on, Yami." Zane said, looking back at the remaining yami.

Yami nodded. "She's taught her students nothing, and Dumbledore is focusing on the wrong enemy. At this rate, the Yule attack, will destroy this school and everyone in it. If we had our way, we'd clear out Harry and Draco,"

"No." Harry and Draco stated at once.

"But we know they wouldn't let us if we tried. Hence the fact that we're still here, with two untrained Shadow Wielders, a school full of untrained wizards, a bitch, and several morons."

Zane's eyes grew thoughtful.

"I know that look." Malik said, smirking.

"I have an idea…. It's a bit risky…, for those that get involved, anyway."

"I'm in." Malik said at once.

Ryou and Yugi looked at each other, smirked, and nodded back to Zane.

_**//You boys in for a bit of a risk?//**_

_**##Always, Pharaoh.##**_

_**--Count us in on whatever Prince is planning.--**_

"We're in."

Zane smirked evilly.

"Good."

**TBWL**

Harry, Draco, and Blaise decided rather quickly that they found the conspiring, thoughtful look in Zane's eye a wonderful thing.

As the demon prince outlined his plan to them, they found themselves just as excited as the Wielders.

"It's a basic thing, and it leaves room for some improvising, but it's something for you to start on."

"Playing my part should be easy enough. Malfoys look out for themselves, so it should be pretty easy to convince some of the others to 'change'."

"Ron and Hermione won't trust Slytherins." Harry said quietly.

"Don't worry about that." Zane reassured. "This school needs to be united, and if the major rivalry 'dissipates' and the Hero of the Wizarding World becomes friendly with them, as long as it's slowly, and it appears that you don't completely trust them at once, they should begin to trust them as well."

"Not to mention that Yugi's made himself a reputation of knowing who to trust, and who not to." Yami added. "Especially among the Gryffindors and Slytherins."

"For this to work, you three will need to make another meeting with Dumbledore, warn him against paying too much attention to Voldemort and not the growing threat within Hogwarts. If you get caught, _he_ may need to bail you out." Zane said.

Yami nodded. "As you wish."

"I'm gonna hate relying on that old man." Malik muttered darkly.

Zane's eyes glazed over.

Yami, Yugi, Ryou, and Malik tilted their heads, as if listening to something the others couldn't hear.

**TSW**

_**--Boys and girls, we've got a dragon.--**_

"_**What kind and what's it doing?"**_

_**##It seems to be just looking, but….##**_

"_**But?"**_

_**--There's a Ghoul and Death Eater on its back.--**_

"_**Shit."**_

_**//What kind of dragon did you say it was, Thief?//**_

_**##I didn't because I don't recognize it. It may just be one of the wizard's dragons.##**_

"_**Wonderful."**_

_**--I'm sending Dragon and Phoenix the image. Maybe they'll know what kind of dragon it is. Let me know when they're ready.--**_

"Harry, Draco. Marik's sending you two an image of a dragon we don't recognize. Perhaps one of you two do." Zane said, looking at the two newest Wielders. "I'm going to talk you through receiving it, yeah?"

Draco nodded hesitantly.

"Harry?"

"I haven't had the best history with my mind…."

"Trust me, Marik's good. You'll only get an image of the dragon, not Marik's presence. He won't take advantage of the Millennium Rod, not now."

Harry nodded slowly.

"For the first time, you need to focus on the image of the Millennium Rod. Once you have it, reach towards it with your mind only. Anything else, thoughts, emotions, the Rod will pull you under. It's a defense. The Rod should feel cold, icy and powerful to the touch, but _do not _recoil from it. If you go back for a second time after you recoil, the Rod will suck you under."

**TBWL**

The Wielders waited silently while Harry and Draco sat, eyes closed, across from them.

Harry's emerald eyes blinked open first. "That was…odd."

Yami chuckled. "Which part?"

"Watching through someone else's eyes."

Yugi and Malik nodded.

"Yeah…I guess it does take some getting used to doesn't it." Ryou said, smiling.

"Why didn't the dragon see them?" Draco asked.

"We put up a ward of sorts, we can't be found up there. We'd need it for when you two got up there. Bakura, Marik, and I, even during our most violent sparring matches can keep our shadow magic under the radar. You two are still new at it; and we plan on actually summoning the Shadow Realm itself at some point, so we'd need wards to prevent us from being seen."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Let's just say that the Shadow Realm draws your attention." Yami said.

_They're getting better at asking questions…good._

Bakura and Marik appeared in the room.

"Any ideas?"

"I don't know what kind of dragon it is." Draco said, shaking his head.

"Me either. I feel like I should know it…but can't remember it." Harry said.

"Damn." Bakura muttered.

Zane stared at Harry and Draco for a minute.

"You two are going to find that dragon. Together."

Harry and Draco quickly began to protest.

"Stop." Zane ordered quietly, shutting both boys up. "You _will_ find that dragon. The others will be too busy to do it. Call it…a bonding experience."

"But-"

"No buts, guys, he's right." Blaise said quietly. "The others will be busy training you and I'll be getting permission to search the Forbidden Forest."

"Besides, it'll do good to get you out of the Room of Shadows and into the world." Yugi said.

Harry sighed. "We'll need an excuse."

Marik and Bakura exchanged a smirk.

"Leave it to us, boys, just do your part." Yami said.

Zane stood.

"Sorry I can't stay and see the fireworks, but I need to get back. We'll send Mercury if we find anything about what our friends on the Dark Side are up to."

The Wielders all nodded.

"Bring Jess next month." Bakura said. "We'll need to initiate the last bond stage in October, if we can."

Blaise blinked.

"You know, I think this year has the most danger, all things considered."

"Compared to our other four years, yeah." Draco agreed, smirking at Harry.

Harry shrugged. "Don't blame me for Tom's tendency to want me dead."

Blaise sighed.

"Actually…." Harry said quietly. "He may not even be a problem anymore."

The Wielders winced, exchanging doubtful glances.

**TBWL**

Draco stared at the sight in front of him.

Yami, Bakura, and Marik were ducking, dodging, and all out _fighting_ on a half abandoned tower.

Yami formed a ball, about the size of the crystal balls Trelawney was using in the tower across from them of what the Slytherin was quickly recognizing as Shadow Magic in its purest form, and threw it at Bakura.

Marik threw a dagger at both of the other two yamis, and a third one at the ball of shadows aimed at Bakura.

"Oi! I thought we agreed no Shadow Magic!" Marik yelled.

Bakura smirked, plucking the dagger out of the air, twirling it over his fingers for a better grip.

"Get over it, Guardian!"

"Besides, another one of the agreement was no holding back." Yami added, sidestepping the dagger, which landed in the stone point first.

Draco could feel Harry come up behind him.

Yami glanced at them.

"We'll continue this later." Bakura muttered, tucking the dagger away. "Our 'students' are here."

**TSW**

The hikaris split from their yamis, the soft light the Items gave off, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

_#What do you want us to do? I thought we were working with Harry later.#_

_##We're entering the Shadow Realm.##_

_#Ahh.#_

_##...Ryou…what did you eat this morning?##_Bakura asked, suspiciously.

_#Nothing you need to concern yourself with 'kura.#_

_##Ryou.##_ Bakura warned.

_#Bar of chocolate.#_ Ryou answered quietly.

Bakura groaned.

_Wonderful. He's always hyper when he has chocolate…although not nearly as bad as Yugi…._

Bakura winced at _that_ particular memory.

**TSW**

While Bakura whined, Yami and Yugi explained what the Shadow Realm would be like.

"For you, Harry, it'll be difficult the first few months. The Shadow Realm isn't the best place for us." Yugi said. "As time goes by, you'll adjust to it."

"You on the other hand, Draco, will feel its pull almost immediately. Think of the Shadows as a mother. They want to keep you there, to keep you safe. As far as they're concerned, you come before your hikari." Yami said.

"_We_ know that's not true. If our hikaris are in danger so are we. The mental trauma that the snapped bond could invoke would only be second to the emotional trauma and the depressed self anger." Marik said, glancing at Malik.

"If the bond snaps, can it be repaired?" Draco asked, looking around the tower.

"It can. But the process tends to make us far more protective than normal while it's healing, mainly because we can't tell if you're safe or not." Yami answered.

Yugi winced. "The bond takes months, sometimes a couple of years to heal. So if you don't think you can handle being mother-henned, I don't suggest letting anyone break it to begin with."

The wizards decided not to ask.

"When we enter the Shadow Realm, you'll see things. Ask questions if you have them. The place is complex, even if it doesn't seem like it at first."

"It has everything from banished furniture to lost souls. Actually entering the Shadow Realm is far different than summoning it. Stay close and don't wander. If you can't handle the strain of the Shadow Realm, you need to figure out a way to learn. Everyone of us, bar Ryou, holds some type of magic here." Bakura advised.

"Also, if you feel like you are going to pass out, _say so_. If you pass out here, the Shadows consider it a 'loss' in terms of a Game, and will take your soul."

Harry and Draco nodded.

"Let's go."


	8. Enter the Shadow Realm

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Enter the Shadow Realm

_Now I understand why the Room of Shadows looks the way it does._

The same thought ran through Harry and Draco's minds as the portal to the tower of Hogwarts closed behind them.

Not two seconds later, Draco felt a pampering presence urge him further, but Yami's warning still rang in his mind. He resisted the comforting tug on his mind, and focused, almost unconsciously, on the weakening presence in the back of his mind.

Harry closed his eyes, focusing on breathing.

He could feel the energy being pulled from his entire being, like a vacuum cleaner had been pressed to his life force.

Thankfully, as suddenly as it had begun, it began to lessen, becoming a bit more of a gentle pull than an all out drain.

Both wizards could feel the Shadow Realm struggling against the urge to throw them out, to take their souls and leave their bodies empty on the tower.

**TSW**

_**//They're doing pretty good for their first time.//**_

_**##I'll admit to it.##**_

_**--I agree.--**_

_**/The question though, is how long can they last?/**_

_**-Dragon's already resisting the Shadows' pull.-**_

_**##Like Pharaoh said, for first timers, they're not half bad.##**_

_**#So cruel, Thief.#**_

_**##Not cruel, realistic.##**_

_**//They're good. Phoenix is relatively stabilized, although his magic and awareness are lower than normal. It's to be expected, since we're assuming that he hasn't awakened all of his power yet.//**_

_**-And the Dark Magician?-**_

_**/On his way./**_

The Wielders stood a few feet away from Harry and Draco allowing the two their space, but still close enough to be of assistance should the Creatures of the Shadows decide they were hungry enough to go after such fresh Souls.

The pull on Ryou, Malik, and Yugi was nearly nonexistent, but still insistent. After spending fourteen years working in and with the Shadow Realm, it recognized two of its masters and Bakura's hikari.

The Shadow Realm didn't _fear_ per say, but it did dislike being the source of the Chosen's pain.

That only changed when its Creator was wielding it.

_**//The Dark Magician found us.//**_

_**--Shall we move on then?--**_

_**#Lets.#**_

"You two feel alright?" Malik asked.

"Bit woozy." Harry murmured, accepting Draco's offered hand to help himself up.

He didn't protest when Draco didn't let go either.

Yugi and Ryou smiled knowingly.

"As we move on," Bakura said, pointedly ignoring Harry and Draco's linked fingers. "you'll see lost souls and the inhabitants of the Shadow Realm. As we speak, she's calling your guardians to us. They'll meet up with us at some point."

"Guardians?"

"They're your soul monsters. If they're destroyed, your soul ends up here. Not necessarily wandering, but until she decides to send you back."

"Pharaoh!"

Yami turned to Mahaad, who was kneeling behind him.

"Mahaad." he greeted. "How are you?"

"I am well, my pharaoh. Our Lord Osiris however…he is getting restless. They all are. The Shadows themselves seem to be changing at times."

Yami nodded worriedly, distractedly. "Thanks…."

"On a happier note, how may we serve you, pharaoh?"

Yami smirked. "We're taking a walk."

Mahaad blinked. "Through the Shadow Realm?"

Ryou, Yugi, and Malik snickered when the Dark Magician's gaze slid to Bakura and Marik. It was clear who Mahaad thought had thought up that particular idea.

"What better way for the new Wielders to learn?" Yami asked, smirking at the other two yamis. He did nothing to discourage the Dark Magician's idea.

_**--I despise you.--**_

_**##And your little mage too.##**_

_**#You're not watching anymore American movies.#**_

_**##Damn you!##**_

Ryou snickered behind his hand.

"We'll stand back here and pretend we know what's going on." Harry mock-called.

Yugi frowned at Yami. His worry for Osiris was strong.

_/What's wrong, Yami?/_

Yami glanced at his hikari.

_//Osiris…he's not Ra or Set, Yugi. He doesn't get restless. Not here in the Shadow Realm.//_

Yugi's frown deepened. _/What are we going to do? We're needed here to help Harry and Draco./_

_//…I'll think of something.//_

_/We should get the others to help, Yami, they're our friends./_

Yami was silent.

Bakura glanced at his friend, slightly worried.

Mahaad looked up at the pharaoh and his hikari, waiting.

Ryou and Malik stared at each other, confused.

_**#Pharaoh, what's wrong?#**_

Yami jumped minutely.

_I didn't realize that I'd been so obvious in my worry._

_/Yami./_ Yugi pressed gently.

_**//It's Slifer.//**_

_**##What about him?##**_

_**//The fact that he's restless.//**_

_**--It **_**is**_** odd. Normally he's pretty patient in the Shadow Realm.--**_

_**//Exactly.//**_

_**-We'll deal with it once we get out of here. The Dark Magician, Dragon, and Phoenix are still waiting for us, remember. We can come back tomorrow.-**_

_**#Or tonight, even.#**_

_**//Tonight.//**_

Yami turned sharply, making Harry blink at the suddenness of the move.

"Welcome to the Shadow Realm."

As if on cue, the area was suddenly a mass of activity.

Ghostly figures of banished, wandering, and lost souls flew above them. Small, low level Shadow Creatures were running, jumping, a few were even fighting.

Mahaad stood, taking his place behind Yami and Yugi, watching the two teens with sharp blue eyes.

**TBWL**

Harry and Draco looked around with frightened awe.

The auras around most of the monsters were almost blinding to Harry.

"What are they?"

"They're all different, but as a whole, they're Shadow Creatures. They're peaceful now, but once a portal opens. Or more often a hole in the wall of the Shadow Realm, they become vicious." Bakura answered coolly. "While they are mostly content here, they are desperate to get to the living, breathing souls on the outside and will fight _anyone_ to get to them."

Draco narrowed his eyes on the albino yami, irritated for some reason at the iciness in his tone.

Marik felt the shift in the Shadow Realm before he saw it. A sharp thought and the Shadows shrank back.

"Watch your emotions here, Draco." he stated. "We're all Wielders, and we don't need another civil war."

Draco blinked, confused, but said nothing.

"Pharaoh." Mahaad whispered loudly.

"Yes?"

"They've arrived."

The mage raised his staff and pointed it off the right. "The Shadow Guardians are here."

"…Magician of Black Chaos…attack 2800, defense 2600. Shadow Ability: Double the Attack and Defense of the Skilled White Magician." Malik murmured under his breath, watching the Magician as it landed behind Draco. "A powerful ally."

Draco eyed the oddly dressed magician with curiosity.

Harry stared warily at the other mage that arrived.

"Harry, meet the Skilled White Magician. Attack 1700, defense 1900. He has a rare ability. Its called a Sacrifice Ability. It can only be activated once both the Creature and the Wielder have been sacrificed, not just destroyed, but Sacrificed for the protection of another. Its Sacrifice Ability is to prevent the Magician of Black Chaos from being destroyed for the remainder of the battle." Yami said, watching with amusement as the two eyed one another.

"As long as we're here, they'll protect you." Bakura said.

"From what? You said that the creatures were peaceful."

"Actually, I told you that _these_ were peaceful creatures." Bakura countered. "As we go deeper, and eventually directly into the more powerful areas, you'll notice restlessness or all out hatred. Some Shadow Creatures don't care who they attack as long as they get to spill blood and/or collect Souls."

"Yami controls one such creature and Bakura another." Yugi said brightly. He glanced at Yami and a small frown appeared on his face.

_/Yami, relax./_

_//I can't help it. Slifer's tugging at my conscious. He has been since he realized we were here.//_

_/…Let's keep moving. Remember, we'll check it out later./_

_//I know.//_

Yami slowly, and painfully pushed the feeling of Osiris' tugging at the back of his mind to a darker corner and began walking.

**TBWL**

Half an hour later, Harry was definitely having trouble breathing.

They had seen many of the weaker creatures' homes and the lowest of the midlevels. The Wielders had explained the abilities and power that each had.

For the first ten minutes or so, the tugging had been bearable. It was after that, that things began getting harder and harder to hear, see, and all around focus on.

Draco was sure that the guardians of the Shadow Realm were waiting for him to say something.

At first, the Slytherin wanted to prove to them that the Gryffindor Golden Boy wasn't as weak as they thought him to be, but when Harry began to stumble he felt that protective instinct flare in him, making him want to do anything to lessen the Gryffindor's pain.

"Stop." he growled, stopping in his tracks so fast that Harry stumbled into him and began to fall.

Both the White Magician and Draco grabbed him, Draco pulling the lightly shaking boy to his chest protectively.

_You shouldn't have waited so long, Master Dragon._

Draco jumped slightly when the Dark, powerful, yet somehow soothing voice slipped into his head when he briefly locked eyes with the Magician of Black Chaos.

_Hades, Master Dragon. My name is Hades._

Draco hid his wince as the link between himself and Harry flared to life again.

_**Pain…**_

_**Exhaustion…**_

_**Sorrow…**_

He missed the look that Yugi shared with Bakura.

**TBWL**

Harry leaned into the comforting presence as best he could. Warmth spread through his shivering body at once, but it wasn't enough. The cold was more than just skin deep. It went into his very soul.

_S-So c-cold._

Harry's teeth chattered together.

_Master Phoenix? Are you alright?_

The voice was new, but Harry was too cold to give a damn.

The Gryffindor, unbidden, found himself praying for Draco, of all people.

_:D-:_

Harry paused, his mind icing over.

_:Draco…help me…please.:_

**TBWL**

_:Draco…help me…please.:_

Draco gasped sharply.

Yami looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"I…you didn't hear it?"

Bakura frowned thoughtfully. "He's not broadcasting." the psycho-yami muttered under his breath, sounding oddly surprised at this information.

"Let's get him out of here." Ryou commanded. "We can explain it later." the hikari glared at Bakura.

Marik and Yami winced in sympathy.

Ryou was outright cruel when he was angry.

Bakura opened the 'requested' portal and Yami, Yugi, Malik, and Marik stepped back into wherever Bakura decided to drop them off.

Bakura walked over to Draco and Harry. "If you don't pick him up, Malfoy, I will. And you'll lose the resulting battle." the thief said, looking down at the two of them.

Draco glared at the older man.

"You're wasting time, either get him out, or the next portal lands you all in the middle of the Dead Sea." Ryou snapped.

Draco winced and obediently picked up his…friend?

Bakura waved noncommittally at the three magicians as he and Ryou followed him out.

Outside, Draco found that they were in a forest clearing. Through the trees, he could see the Shrieking Shack.

They'd arrived in Hogsmaede Forest, which surrounded one of the most famous places near Hogwarts.

None of the Wielders had relaxed upon their return from the Shadow Realm, instead, they had all tensed.

Draco, in response to the raised tension of the others, knelt and tightened his grip on Harry.

"Don't drop him. We're heading to the Shrieking Shack. Someone's decided to pay Hogwarts an unplanned visit." Malik said, staring at the broken down building.


	9. Overprotective Convict, Meet the Dead

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Overprotective Convict, Meet the Dead

Sirius transformed back into his animagus form as feet moved towards his room. He lowered his much smaller body to the ground behind the rather large, broken down bed.

An unfamiliar scent brushed his nose: wood, power, dirt, and an overpowering scent of death and darkness.

Based on how heavy the footsteps were, Sirius guessed the person was either heavy or muscled.

The sound of a blade being drawn echoed in the silence of the room.

"Come out, Black. I've followed you this far, the least you can do is die with honor."

Sirius shivered. The man/creature's voice was dark, dangerous, and gravelly.

_How did I not know I was followed?_

"It doesn't matter." snarled the stalker.

_Is he…_

"Reading your weak and pitiful mind? Yes."

The heavy man was moving again, around the bed.

Sirius shrank back, bearing sharp fangs at the man, glad that as a dog, his jaw couldn't hit the ground.

The man that had just rounded the bed, was tall, taller than anyone, outside of Hagrid, Sirius had ever seen. Dirty blond hair stuck up everywhere, but still managed to cascade down his long black cloak. The cloak was thrown over his shoulders revealing the huge muscles, bare chest, and black pants to the animagus' view. What drew Sirius' curiosity was the pendent holding the cloak closed.

It was a jackal head.

"Hello puppy."

Sword raised, this new figure lunged.

**TSW**

Yami began running before they even reached the edge of the clearing, the Shadows heeding his call, melting away the jeans and leather top for the Wielder's battle cloak.

Yugi and Ryou fell back, knowing that Yami'd want to do this on his own.

_**##Be careful, Pharaoh.##**_

_**--Indeed.--**_

_**//I'll be fine. Jackal and I have a score to settle. He is mine.//**_

_**/Still, be careful, Pharaoh./**_

_**//I promise.//**_

**TBWL**

Harry felt safer. Warmer. The conflicting temperatures were crashing his mind. He was slipping into unconsciousness.

_Draco…_

**TSW**

Pointless.

The shift to his Wielder garb was pointless. His opponent knew who he was, perhaps it was because by this point, it was so engrained into his memory, it was second nature to him.

The door, blocked by an ancient(1) was of no consequence.

In his impatience, Pharaoh just blew them both up.

The explosion rocked the entire forest.

**TBWL**

Draco shook his head sharply, trying to clear it after its impact with a tree.

"What the hell was that?!"

Bakura smirked dryly. "Pharaoh's impatience."

Yugi stood slowly, staring at the Shrieking Shack.

"Yami-kun…."

**TBWL**

Sirius yelped in pain, the sword passed effortlessly through muscle, bone, fur, and skin.

As the figure approached the injured animal, sword raised for a final strike, the entire Shack shook.

The huge man swore colorfully.

"Pharaoh." the man hissed angrily.

"That would imply that you felt a type of respect for me, Jackal, and its more than obvious that you don't." a voice growled from the darkness.

"We have yet to fix ourselves into absolute power, Pharaoh." Jackal hissed. "The Dark One still wishes to remain hidden from mortal eyes, ears, and mind."

Sirius twitched, trying to find the other figure in the room.

"Rest friend." the voice murmured above him. It was no less frigid than when he'd been speaking to Jackal, however, Sirius' pain addled mind thought he could detect a hint of curious sympathy.

"Rest and fear not a false god."

Jackal's hackles visibly rose at the insult.

"False, am I? Than what does that make you, Pharaoh?"

"A Shadow God." Pharaoh answered easily.

"You are a fool, Wielder." Jackal snarled, raising his sword to attack once more. "Come out of the darkness, Pharaoh, and we shall make this an Official Game."

The voice didn't answer.

"Fine. First I must take care of this pest, who has led me to a way into the castle anyway."

Jackal blurred before Sirius' eyes.

_He was toying with me the whole time…. I'm going to die._

Sirius stared in horror, seeing only the sword that appeared in his vision inches away from his body.

CLANG!

**TSW**

Yami's eyes flashed beneath his hood.

"Jackal. Did you think we haven't warded the castle against you? That we didn't already know about the secret passages into and out of the school?"

'Jackal' smirked. "You can't hold them forever."

"Our knowledge of them still gives us an advantage that Hogwarts can and will use when Yule arrives."

'Jackal' laughed, pulling his sword away from Yami's. "So, you know about their problem do you. Which psycho told you that one?"

Yami leapt, growling. "Despite how I feel about Thief and Guardian, they've got more power in one half of their body than any of the bastards you work with, Jackal."

The larger man blocked the solid black sword in Yami's hand with seemingly little effort.

"And your hikari, Pharaoh? How much…_power_ do you think he holds?"

Yami glared. "Don't threaten him."

'Jackal' smirked pleasantly.

"Don't look at me, Pharaoh. I'm not the one obsessed with young Hikari now am I?"

"**Asshole."** Yami hissed viciously, his arm shook with the force of the two blades continued collisions.

"Such language is unfit for a pharaoh." 'Jackal' sneered.

**TSW**

Draco narrowed his eyes.

"What is that?"

Bakura growled. "We need to move. Jackal is sending out his ancients."

Marik snarled. "We can take them."

"No we can't." Bakura snapped. "In any other situation, yes, we could take a couple dozen ancients, but Ryou and Yugi are still recovering from the Shadow Realm and Draco's not trained enough to block out Potter's pain."

Draco winced at the reference to his weakness.

"I don't like it any more than you do, Marik, but he's right. I'm still the only hikari with useable magic. I can't protect all of them. We need to get back to Hogwarts." Malik insisted.

Marik growled angrily.

Bakura dragged Marik closer to him by his collar. "I'm not asking anymore, Marik, I'm _telling_ you to get your sorry ass in gear and get back up to Hogwarts, as your superior."

Once Bakura released him, Marik threw a ball of Shadow Magic at him. The thief dodged it so fast he blurred.

The silver shadow-like thing that had entered the clearing exploded like glass.

"Move!" Bakura yelled, russet eyes glowing malevolently.

**TBWL**

Sirius knew, subconsciously, that Jackal had pulled something. And that something involved his godson's safety.

With a snarl, he flew at the would-be assassin, sinking his fangs deeply into Jackal's sword arm. The man/creature attached to it didn't even flinch.

Instead, he threw the weakened animal at Pharaoh.

Pharaoh stepped back instinctively and Sirius hit the ground at his feet, staggering, but still standing and dripping blood.

Sirius bared his fangs at Jackal, growling.

The large man chuckled. "This does look familiar."

Pharaoh's eyes narrowed.

"Sliva died with honor, Jackal, which is much more than I can say you ever did."

"Your werewolf is still dead, Pharaoh, and all you've got left is a dog with the mind of a man."

"Wrong. Sliva's right here. I do apologize in advance for this, Black."

_You think I'm doing this for you? Not a chance._

**TSW**

Yami knew more than Sirius realized. He knew that Black had figured out Harry was in danger because of 'Jackal'.

Yami's fingers flexed and the Shadow Sword was banished.

"I summon Silver Fang! Sliva!"

As always, the wolf-like shadow creature answered his call loyally, appearing between Yami and Sirius and 'Jackal'.

**TBWL**

Sirius would have gapped if he could.

Green fur and red claws, the 'Silver Fang' creature looked creepy. He almost forgot the danger as he studied it.

**TSS**

'Jackal' snarled when he felt Zorc's tug on his mind, calling him back to Voldemort's hideout.

"We'll finish this later, Pharaoh. The Dark One calls for me to return…. Of course, nothing can be said about the ancients."

With a dark laugh, 'Jackal' stepped back into a portal of flames.

**TSW**

"Damn it." Yami swore.

_**//You guys alright?//**_

_**##Pharaoh! Get your fancy, pansy ass back to Hogwarts.##**_

_**//What?//**_

_**##There're ancients at the barrier. I suggest caution.##**_

_**//Oh, hell no, what the fuck are you three doing?!//**_

_**--Keeping up a barrier.--**_

_**#It appears that low levels aren't stopped by Hogwart's defenses any longer.#**_

_**//Coming.//**_

_**/And hurry. My illusions' will fail soon!/**_

Without a word to Sirius, Yami turned and strode into the shadowed hallway. Disappearing.

**TSW**

Bakura winced visibly at the crack appearing on the barrier wall.

"**We warned you." **Yugi hissed beside him, what little energy that had returned to him was being pushed into the illusion, which was also weakening.

"**Well, it was either this or you let me summon Ereptor, Yugi. And I can guarantee that he'd be seen, with the small amount of energy you've got."** Bakura threw back.

Ryou rolled his eyes. **"Can we **_**please**_** focus? We don't have the strength for multi-tasking."** he snapped.

"**Someone's irritable."** Malik muttered.

Ice cracked over the gates of Hogwarts, allowing the Wielders a moment to rest.

"Saw the smoke from the Tower. Need help?" Blaise asked, his eyes glowed light blue around the edges.

"Yo." Marik muttered, flinching as he rolled stiff muscles.

"Why are you just letting them hammer the gates down?" Blaise asked.

"We're waiting. The number of Ancients outside the gates aren't as easy to kill in our current state, not like the Shadow Creatures you're used to dealing with." Bakura muttered. "I hate saying this with a passion, but Yami's still got the most magic, and its unlikely that even he could wipe them out at this point. We weren't expecting minor attacks on the wards before Yule, so we weren't really collecting, or saving our magic for one. Now we're waiting to combine what magic we've got left."

**TBWL**

Sirius ran through the closing black portal, looking around the dark place. Purple clouds on a black background.

_Where is this?_

Pharaoh looked at Sirius.

"Persistent Gryffindor." the man muttered. He sighed.

"Welcome to the Shadow Realm, Black. Stay close or you'll be stuck here forever."

Sirius trotted after the man looking around curiously.

Beside him, he could just barely make out 'Silver Fang'. She walked down the same path he did, eyeing him through yellow, wary eyes.

Sirius lowered his head warily, deliberately biting the impulse to bare his fangs at the silver wolf.

**TSW**

_**//I suggest changing clothes.//**_

_**##Where the fuck are you, Pharaoh?!##**_

_**/Pharaoh?/**_

_**//Padfoot's gotten curious. I won't leave him here, but we can't afford exposure yet.//**_

_**#Yes, of course, Pharaoh. We'll be ready.#**_

Yami glanced back at Sirius.

"What are you doing, Sliva?"

_The dog-man intrigues me, Master._

"Don't call me that." Yami responded instinctively before what she'd said sank in and he smirked. "Intrigues you, huh?"

_He's like me when I was human, but not._

Yami chuckled.

**TBWL**

Bakura looked up at Blaise. "Change in attire. Full regalia. Someone got curious."

Draco had seen Yami's change in attire, from the black leather to black Wielder outfit, but that had been from a distance. The way they melted into being, most likely from the Shadow Realm, made them seem like liquid silk, not the cloth he knew it to be.

Glancing back at Blaise, he noticed that he'd dropped the Slytherin robes for a dark green body suit. Unlike the Wielders, who used a hood to hide their features, Blaise had a light weight metal mask over his nose and mouth (think like Sango's outfit).

Catching his gaze, Blaise winked.

Behind them, the world split, revealing the Shadow Realm to the world, the edges swirled restlessly, feeling the restrained power and wanting to be free. To lash out at the enemies of It's masters.

Yami had arrived.

**TSW**

Bakura's gaze flickered to Hogwarts, where he could see the teachers ending whatever they'd spent the day doing in preparation for the students' return.

"We'll need to work fast." Blaise said dryly. "Students'll be coming back and no matter how good the illusion, you can't miss the small horde of white shadows once you enter it."

"I hate Ancients." Yami muttered. "Of all people, why does Jackal have to be the one they chose to latch onto?"

"Probably the same reason the Kul Elna spirits have latched onto Thief." Yugi answered. "They looked for something familiar, and the False God was as close as they could get."

"Moving on, drop the ice, Cougar. And stay away from Malfoy, Black." Marik ordered.

Black paused midstep.

**TBWL**

Blaise's eyes immediately lost the ethereal glow, and the ice cracked, exploding outwards at the Ancients.

"Nice." Malik praised, stepping back and kicking a dismembered ancient away from him.

Behind the mask, the Elemental grinned. "I'm curious, Keeper, who's more dangerous, you or Thief?"

"Neither." Yami answered a black aura flickering into view around the six Wielders. "Thief's more powerful when he needs to be and Keeper's more powerful when he's fighting."

"So it depends on the situation." Draco summed up as Harry began to stir, pushing closer to the warmth that his dark offered.

"Exactly." Yugi said.

"Hey, Pharaoh!" Bakura called back, a bloodthirsty smirk on his lips. "Ten bucks says Guardian passes out again."

Yami chuckled weakly, the pull on his body, the Shadow Magic fighting for release to protect the pharaoh, their chosen prince and wished creator.

_Just a couple seconds more. Just a couple seconds more._ Blaise pleaded, watching with trepidation as the Ancients regrouped.

**TSW**

_**##Now?##**_

_**//Not yet.//**_

_**/Pharaoh, please./**_

_**//I know, love. Just a couple minutes longer. We need them past the gates.//**_

_**#Pharaoh!#**_

Yami waited.

_**//Now.//**_

The explosion rocked Scotland.


	10. Welcome to New Hogwarts

**The Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Welcome to New Hogwarts

As Sirius lay on Harry's bed, watching his godson, he was unaware of the spectral eyes of a 3000 year old pharaoh watching, testing his mind as a canine.

The escaped convict had been welcomed with open arms by the Tower, especially by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Of course, Sirius was under no illusions, should anyone find out who and where he was he'd be ratted out rather quickly.

That wasn't his concern at the moment. He was more concerned with what was going on between Harry and Malfoy.

The Slytherin had been rather clingy in the Room of Requirement.

Unwilling to let go of the younger boy.

Thief had told Malfoy that it was 'normal after a hikari's first trip to feel weak and cold, and thus the yami more protective'. Sirius wasn't naïve enough to believe the confusing explanation before the seven oddly dressed figures had stepped into a portal not unlike the one that had taken him to Hogwarts, had been completely for Malfoy's sake.

Sirius nuzzled his godson worriedly. He had expected Ron or Hermione to get an explanation, however the two Gryffindors seemed oblivious.

The boy on the bed beside Harry's shifted restlessly and Sirius looked at the closed curtains.

_I need to talk to Harry. And soon._

**TBWL**

Draco stared at Blaise.

"Why are you still staring at me?" Blaise asked, smirking at his friend.

"You're an Elemental." Draco stated. "Why couldn't you just tell me that?"

"I'm an undercover Elemental, Drake. I couldn't go around flaunting it. I had to look like a pureblood, even though I'm not even completely human." Blaise answered.

Draco felt the subtly casted Silencing Spell take effect. "Why are you here?" he asked. "Or can you not tell me?"

Blaise thought for a minute.

"I'm not supposed to. But you're a Wielder. A new and untrained one, but still a Wielder."

Draco looked at him expectantly.

Blaise sighed and began the long explanation.

**TBWL**

Harry sat boredly across from Hermione, who was drawing up study schedules for the OWLs that were _months_ away.

A table away, Ryou sat with Draco and Blaise, chatting like old friends.

Most people shot Ryou angry, nervous, or worried looks.

Ryou boldly ignored them all.

Beside him, Harry could hear Ron muttering and tuned his friend in.

"I always though Ryou was a good guy. It's a pity."

"What is?" Harry asked.

"Look at him. He's talking to Malfoy and Zabini."

"So?"

"They're Slytherins. Death Eaters in Training. Ring a bell."

"Zabini's not that bad, Ron. Although I can't say much for Malfoy." Hermione cut in.

"Malfoy hasn't been nearly as bad as usual." Harry pointed out. "And Yugi seems to like him."

"Yeah, and Yugi's nutters." Ron answered.

Harry caught Ryou's hand tighten minutely.

_Bakura._

_**##Keep Weasley's mouth under control, Phoenix.##**_ Bakura warned.

Harry felt the need to apologize all of a sudden.

The brunette stood and walked over to Draco's table, dropping into the chair beside Blaise.

_Best not push my luck._

Draco looked at him coolly, a barely there smirk on his features.

"Weasley's mouth?" he asked.

"Yes." Harry answered shortly. "He's going to be one of the most difficult."

Draco snorted and made a show of going back to his work and ignoring Harry.

Ryou and Blaise both smiled warmly at Harry and joined him in their conversation, ignoring the gapping looks Ron and Hermione sent him.

**TSW**

Bakura watched Harry and Draco, leaning against the wall in his spirit form.

The two Wielders had rather quickly grown on Malik and Marik. Bakura knew what that was like.

Harry and Draco were to Malik and Marik what Jess was to him.

At that specific moment, Bakura knew what his friends saw in the two newest Wielders.

Themselves.

Going from animosity to friends in a week. Of course, it was possible that, Draco and Harry weren't the enemies they thought they were.

_#What are you pondering, yami?#_

_##Marik and Malik.##_

_#What about them?#_

_##How they seem to remind me of Harry and Draco.##_

_#…That makes sense. Of course.#_

_##Of course.## _Bakura drawled, only partially sarcastic.

_#Just does.# _Ryou responded, as if Bakura had asked a question.

_##Ryou?##_

_#Yes, love?#_

Bakura smiled slightly. _##Be careful tonight.##_

_#We will be.#_

**TSW**

Yami felt Bakura's melancholy emotions and frowned.

_/Hey Yami, can I ask you something?/_

Yami glanced away from Sirius, who dancing around Ginny, to look at his hikari.

_//Of course, love.//_

Yugi watched his yami, under the pretense of looking at the forest.

_/Are you worried?/_

_//About what?//_

_/What's going on here…. And out there./_

Yami's frown returned.

_//Yes. Why do you ask?//_

_/This school. It's not Hogwarts anymore./_

Yami looked at the students. _//It's becoming what Umbridge and the Ministry don't want it to be…. An army.//_

Yugi winced.

_/And we plan on helping create it./_

_//Aibou.//_

_/When did a war between Elementals, Wielders, and Vampires include children?/_

_//Aibou, calm down. Getting worked up will blow our cover and this will cease to be just about us.//_

_/…This was never about us, Yami. No matter how much we pretend. We fight Zorc because of what he's done to people we know, people we care about and even those we don't./_

Yugi's magic flexed and Yami reached out to soothe it.

"Yugi? Are you alright?" Neville asked, putting a hand on Yugi's suddenly tense shoulders.

Yami stiffened.

"I'm fine, Neville. I just…need to take a walk."

_//Yugi….//_

_/Please, Yami. Maybe it's Bakura's fears, but…. Track me, but please don't come after me./_

_//…//_

Yugi stood and left.

Yami hesitated before sliding through the wall, reappearing in the dorm where his spirit disappeared into wisps of black smoke.

**TBWL**

Severus was returning from a trip to Hogsmeade Apothecary when he spotted the boy, one of the Japanese transfers. He was staring out at the lake, clad in a leather tank top, but didn't seem cold in the least.

He tried to ignore the boy. Whatever his problem was it wasn't his to deal with, but something pulled him back to the boy. Shoulder length tri-colored hair blew mesmerizingly in the wind.

With a long suffering sigh, he turned, robes swirling.

"Mouto?"

Unnervingly, the teen didn't flinch at his sudden appearance.

"Hello, professor." he said quietly.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking."

Severus sighed and turned with sneer. "Curfews in-"

"Do you think you can win?" Mouto asked, quietly.

"Win what?"

"This war."

"I believe we have a good chance, yes."

Mouto smiled knowingly.

"You believe _Harry_ has a good chance. If he gave a rat's ass about what you try to teach him."

Severus blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Professor, I'm not naïve. My friends, my grandfather. They were killed by someone I now know has at least some type of contact with Voldemort. Ryou lost his sister, his parents. I held Malik as he cried, his sister's body lay not ten feet from us on a metal slab."

Severus blinked. "You'd be surprised at some of the things the Dark Lord's capable of. I'm not surprised that he sent-"

Mouto's eyes frosted over. "Anubis came on orders from the same 'man' that Harry sees every time he sleeps. _You_ kicked him out of lessens Professor Snape. If I've learned anything here, it's how _not_ to win a war."

Severus was taken back by the snarl in the boy's voice. So different from the soft spoken Gryffindor he was used to.

"Something in the wind's changed. Do you like Professor Umbridge?"

Severus shook his head sharply at the change in topic. "She's not my favorite person, no."

Mouto chuckled. "Draco-kun has come up with a variant of Veritaserum. He says it looks exactly like the Truth Serum, and has all the symptoms, except for the 'truth' part." the boy looked at Severus, knowledge beyond his years shining in bright amethyst eyes. "He's a brilliant student. Good night, professor."

Severus only watched the boy walked up to the castle.

**TSW**

Ryou looked up at Yami's slowly solidifying body. "Yami?"

"What's up, Pharaoh?"

Ryou caught a flicker of jealousy that was swiftly forced aside.

"Yugi…is losing focus." Yami whispered. "And I can't blame him"

"What do you mean, 'losing focus'? Of the objective?" Bakura asked.

Yami shook his head. "Of his emotions. His caring."

"But he's been so in control." Ryou protested.

"That's the problem." Bakura muttered. "We haven't given any of you a chance to get out and have fun."

Ryou blinked. "Wha-"

"What are you talking about, 'kura?" Malik asked, walking through the wall, Marik solidifying beside Bakura.

"Yugi's losing control of his focus. His emotions We've been thinking about letting you three get out for a couple days, maybe let you visit Jess."

Ryou's eyes flickered to Bakura. "Let?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Bakura grinned. "Agree." he amended, amused.

Ryou's eyes remained on his dark.

"You'll behave?" Malik asked, glancing at Marik and Bakura.

"I'll make sure they do." Yami cut in. "It'll also give us more time to see the professors and students in class."

"And we'll work with Draco and Harry. Most likely Draco more than Harry now that Black's around." Marik agreed.

"He hasn't said anything yet?" Malik asked.

Yami shook his head. "No. He's kept his word. No one knows for sure what we are."

Ryou leaned back and away from the table he'd been doing his studying on. "We'll talk tomorrow. During practice."

Malik nodded.

"CURFEW IN FIVE MINUTES. EVERYONE RETURN TO YOUR COMMON ROOMS FOR THE NIGHT."

The Wielders looked at the ceiling, where Umbridge's voice was still echoing.

"It's definitely time to step up their training. She's getting out of hand." Bakura murmured.

Yami's eyes flashed. "Indeed."

_**/Serpentine knows./**_

Malik's eyes flashed worriedly.

_**-Knows what?-**_

_**/Our past experience with the Dark One and Dark Lord./**_

_**//You told him.//**_

_**/Yes./**_

_**--Why?--**_

_**/Because. I'm feeding human curiosity./**_

_**#Of course. He'll get curious about your involvement and just how much you know about this world.#**_

_**/He also knows about Dragon's new potion./**_

_**##What are you up to Hikari?##**_

_**/I don't like Umbridge. She doesn't belong in this school. You three work on Phoenix and Dragon. Leave the organization to the five of us and the Gryffindors./**_

_**;Don't forget me.;**_

_**-Hello Cougar.-**_

_**;Yo. I figure this is the best way to get you all at once these days.;**_

_**/You're right./**_

_**;Hm. I have good news and bad news.;**_

_**##Bad news first.##**_

_**;Alright. There's an unregistered demon in the Forbidden Forest.;**_

_**--Unregistered?--**_

_**;Yes. We picked up a brief signature. It's the same as the one that entered the school a few weeks back.;**_

_**//Joy.//**_

_**##Sarcasm is unbecoming, Pharaoh.##**_

_**//Shut up, Thief.//**_

_**;More bad news. Dumbledore knows that Padfoot is here.;**_

_**-And the good news?-**_ Malik asked hesitantly.

_**;I got hold of the Elementals. They're happy to give a couple of Wielders permission to enter and search with me.;**_

_**//We'll talk about it, Cougar.//**_

_**;Talk to you later.;**_

As Blaise's presence faded, Yami looked at the other two yamis.

"Perhaps we should put his off for a bit?"

Marik and Bakura looked at their hikaris. "Your choice."

Malik and Ryou looked at their yamis, each other, Yami, and then their yamis once more.

"We'll go." Malik said.

"As long as you promise that Yami and Bakura get along while we're gone."

"Done." the two answered as one.

"Keep each other in line." Ryou pressed.

Yami nodded and faded, returning to the puzzle.

_**//We wake tomorrow at dawn.//**_ Yami ordered, before setting in to explain to Yugi that the hikaris were going on vacation.

**TBWL**

Sirius was finally able to change into a man and talked to his godson the next day in the Room of Requirement.

"Harry? Is something bothering you?" he asked, sitting across from Harry.

Harry smiled. "I figured that'd be the first thing you ask me. And…." he looked away, his smile fading. "I can't lie to you Sirius, but I can't tell you either. Please, don't ask again."

Sirius watched his best friend's son sadly. "Harry-"

"Sirius, I promised to keep this a secret for my safety, Draco's, Blaise's, everyone's. _Please_ don't ask again."

Sirius smiled. "Alright. You know Remus and I have your back no matter what."

"Of course." Harry said, grinning.

"So, kid, what's going on here?"

"Professor Umbridge and Fudge have basically taken Hogwarts over. There have been some pretty odd 'helpers' going around, too. Just last week, Pansy Parkinson covered for Neville in her class."

Sirius' eyes widen slightly. "Parkinson?"

Harry nodded, 'forgetting' to mention the prod from Blaise.

"A bunch of us want to start a club of sorts to actually _learn_ something from that subject."

Sirius eyed him. "Define a bunch."

"Me, Draco, Blaise, Yugi, Ryou, Malik, Hermione, Neville, Cho, Theodore, Michael, Zachary, Fred, George-"

"Alright, alright, I get the picture." Sirius said, grinning.

Harry's eyes looked thoughtful. "I have an idea. I'll talk it over with Hermione first. But…." Harry stood suddenly. "I'm late!"

"Late? For what?"

"Lessons with Snape! He's gonna filet me!" Harry scrambled out the door and down the hall.

**TSW**

'_Jess. There's an owl flying towards the house.'_

Jess looked up from the photo of an attack by Ghouls on the World Summit, which had been stopped by a group of 'renegade assassins'.

'_Oh?'_ she asked.

'_I think its from that school.'_ Hunter said, petting the barn owl.

Jess' eyes narrowed. _'Its not from the others than.'_

'_Nope.'_

'_Confuse it. Just in case.'_

'_Of course. Although I think the Wards did that for you.'_ Hunter smirked.

'_Let me know what it says.'_

Jess looked back at the photograph. She recognized the battle outfits in the picture, which had been taken from a helicopter, a plane couldn't have stayed still long enough.

"Hey Zane!" she called. "Where was the Summit held?"

"France!" her lover called back.

She looked hard at the picture. _Why did the Elementals stop it._ she wondered. _Beth, what are you up to?_

**TBWL**

Severus frowned as Potter left his quarters. The boy had done much better than any of the previous lessons. That boy….

Shaking his head, he thought about his meeting with Mouto at the lake the night before.

The boy had sounded so sure that the Dark Lord had been _following_ orders when his family and friends had been attacked. "But the Dark Lord doesn't follow orders, does he?" he wondered.

"Talking to yourself, Serpentine?" a harsh, teasing voice asked him.

"Who's there?"

A figure, cloaked so similar to Pharaoh that for a moment that's who he thought it was, stepped from the shadowy area by the door.

At a second glance, however, he knew it was someone different. They moved too casually to be the more regal-aired Pharaoh.

"Who are you?" Severus asked, pointing his want at the figure.

The figure's chilling laugh echoed around the small room.

"Your wand is of no use, _professor_."

Severus could feel eyes on him, looking him over.

"Who are you?" he repeated.

"My name is Thief. And while I work with Pharaoh, he agrees that this punishment is best carried out by either myself or Guardian."

"Punishment?"

"Yes. You've unknowingly been poisoning the wards of Hogwarts by coming and going with your Half Master."

Severus' eyes widened. "And this…warrants your punishment?"

"No."

"So there's more."

"Yes." there was a smirk in Thief's voice.

"Do you plan on sharing?"

Thief chuckled. "In time. The world refuses to revolve around a single person, Serpentine."

Severus growled.

"Before I get to my punishment, I've promised Pharaoh that I'd pass on a message of sorts." Thief walked around the desk, dropping into Severus' chair. "So I will. After all, he's letting me have all the fun."

Severus felt chills run down his spine and wanted to take a step back, but schooled himself. "And this message?"

"An attack or two by Yule."

"What?!"

Thief smirked. "How's it feel, Serpentine? All these brats going to die because of your carelessness."

Severus' mask came up tenfold. "What do you want?"

"Umbridge's head on a platter is the simplest thing I want, professor."

Thief looked around. "Lovely wards. Keeping someone out?" he asked, amusement dancing in his harsh tone.

"Death Eaters, the Dark Lord-"

"Dumbledore."

Severus stared at Thief. "What?"

Thief chuckled. "Thief is a nickname, derived from my title as the King of Thieves. _No one_ at this school can form wards strong enough that, with a little work, I can't get through. I know my wards. This is designed to keep out witches and wizards of high power. A rather nicely done one."

Thief stood. "I have a meeting to attend. You should rest up, Professor. Life's about to get interesting for you."

He stepped back and was lost to Severus' eyes.

**TSW**

Bakura dropped his Wielder garb as he stepped onto the Tower. Draco was leaning heavily against the wall beside the door. Yami stood across from him, a paper thin black barrier erected.

"Having fun?" he drawled.

Marik chuckled from behind him. "Our dragon has dull claws."

"But claws none the less." Yami agreed.

Draco pushed sweat soaked hair out of his eyes. "You make this look easy." he muttered.

"To us it is." Marik said. "We've had them for years. Calling on them is second nature to us now."

"Ready for another go?" Yami asked.

Draco hesitated.

"Only if you're up to it, Draco. Push yourself beyond your limits and you'll only get yourself killed." Marik advised.

Draco shook his head. "I need to sleep."

Yami's barrier faded. Bakura and Marik stepped into the 'arena'. Shakily, Draco walked to them.

"I'll walk you back, Draco." Marik said quietly, looking pointedly at the sky. Yami and Bakura nodded.

Draco sagged against the older man, his body too exhausted to stay standing on its own.

As the two disappeared, Bakura and Yami looked up at the circling dragon.

"That thing has no intention of leaving until it finds us." Bakura murmured.

"Nope." Yami agreed.

"Shall we take it down?" Bakura asked.

"No…not yet. I want to know what it is first."

Bakura frowned and stepped back.

"Something about that dragon seemed familiar to Harry. And since then, it's been bugging me."

"Bugging you, pharaoh?"

"…Yeah."

Yami shook his head. "Curfew's in a few minutes, we need to get back."

Bakura frowned at the other, but they both left the tower, taking on the false faces of their hikaris as they left.

**TBWL**

Draco muttered the password sleepily and the wall slid aside to reveal Blaise.

The Slytherin followed Draco as he made his way across the half deserted common room.

_**;Potter's in your room, Draco.;**_

Draco looked at Blaise sharply.

The Elemental winced.

It wasn't often that Blaise used his telepathic abilities on Draco, but normally he remembered not to use his real name. His 'training' with Yugi and Yami regarding the bond, had included the dangers of doing so.

"Sorry." Blaise muttered, eyeing his friend worriedly, but taking a step back.

"Whatever." Draco said dismissively, walking towards his rooms, ignoring the common room and Blaise.

**TBWL**

Harry looked up from _The Dark Arts and their Defense_ when Draco almost collapsed into the room. Setting the book aside, he helped Draco to the bed. "They really worked you hard didn't they." he muttered.

Draco snorted. "Not quite as hard as they could have, I'm sure."

Harry chuckled and sat back down on Draco's desk chair, flicking his wand at the door, wordlessly putting up silencing and locking spells on the door.

"Did you need something?" Draco asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah, but you can rest, I'll ask tomorrow." Harry answered, flicking the page.

"You can ask now while I'm conscious." Draco countered, watching his hikari in the dim lighting.

Harry put the book back on the desk and eyed Draco through expressive green eyes.

"What do you think about Sirius Black?" he finally asked.

Draco stared at him. "He's my second cousin. He couldn't have betrayed James Potter unless someone put the Imperius Curse on him, not because they were best friends, but because of Lupin."

Harry smirked. "You're observant."

"What was the point?"

"…Sirius was wrongly imprisoned."

"He killed Pettigrew and twelve others."

"Maybe you're not so observant. Peter Pettigrew isn't dead. He goes under the name Wormtail now."

Draco stared at Harry. "The same Wormtail that stands beside the Dark Lord like a dog?"

"The very. He also killed the twelve muggles on that street. Deliberately putting his finger in the curse's path before he took to the sewers."

"Someone _had_ to have seen the man running away. Even if they didn't see a terrified wizard running full out, they couldn't have missed a bloody stump where his finger should have been. Even muggles can't be that unobservant."

"How about a rat?" Harry asked.

"A…rat?"

"A rat. He, Sirius, and my father were unregistered animagi, they spent the full moon with Remus."

Harry could see the gears turning in Draco's head, putting the pieces together.

"You know where Black is."

"Yes."

"Harry, that knowledge could get you hurt."

Harry smiled wryly. "Anything I do could get me hurt these days, Draco."

Draco's eyes narrowed viciously. "Do you go _looking_ for trouble, Potter?"

_**Worry…**_

Harry shook his head. "No, Dray, I don't. Trouble finds me. I only look for it when my family and friends are in danger."

"Family?"

"Sirius, Remus."

Draco watched Harry for a moment. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"I want to clear his name, starting here at Hogwarts."

"How?"

"The rumor mill, our 'club'. There are ways to instill doubt into younger minds."

"Younger minds?"

"First years and such. We should start with our club though."

"And why's that?" Draco asked, amused at the Slytherin side of his hikari.

"Because he used to be an Auror. He and Remus can help us."

Draco stared. "Brilliant."

_**Amazement…**_

_**Adoration…**_

_**Amusement…**_

"Can you get him into the building without Umbridge finding out?" Draco asked.

"Of course. It would be useless if we couldn't."

_**Smugness…**_

Draco shook his head. "You planned all of this? Including working me until I figured it out."

Harry grinned.

"I can't believe it."

**TBWL**

Blaise looked around the room, locking eyes with a few people.

Pansy and Theodore were arguing over Umbridge's latest 'decree', which banned issues of any magazine or newspaper that wasn't the _Daily Prophet_.

Pansy was crying over her loss of _Witch Weekly_ and Theo was annoyed.

Blaise leaned back in his chair, searching out the familiar energies around the school.

Yami and Bakura were in Gryffindor Tower.

Marik was on the tower.

_We need to come up with a name for that tower. Calling it 'the tower' is getting old, fast._

Draco and Harry were slowly beginning to drift off, their untrained, chaotic energies slowly calming in slumber.

He reached a bit further, for the Forbidden Forest. The unknown demon energy was faint, and disappeared even as he reached for it. Whoever this was, they weren't the low class demons that Voldemort and Dumbledore were pitting against one another.

It was an unknown high level.

Far beyond any type of control.

Whoever it was, if they followed someone, it was completely willingly.

**TSW**

Yami and Bakura walked calmly through the Gryffindor common room. Both had declined to try Fred and George's new product, not quite trusting it, its makers, or its reaction with their magic.

_**##Where the hell is Phoenix?##**_

_**//Patience, Thief. If he's not here, than he's with either Dragon or Padfoot.//**_

_**##And if he's with neither?##**_

_**//We deal. Now calm down. Healer and the others are fine.//**_

_**##I hate how you can read my insecurities so easily, Pharaoh.##**_

_**//We've probably shared a few at some point, Thief.//**_

_**##Joy. Sharing with the Pharaoh.##**_ Bakura said, fighting a smirking off his face easily.

_**//You'll get over it.//**_ Yami shot back, grinning widely at something that Seamus had said while scratching behind 'Snuffles' ears.

The canine convict had taken two days before he approached Yugi and the others. He obviously wanted to keep an eye on the 'three' new students, as they were getting much closer to Harry than Ron and Hermione.

Yami stood from where he was kneeling beside Sirius and beckoned Bakura up the stairs towards the fifth year dormitories. Sirius padded after them.

_**##Thought you wanted to talk, Pharaoh.##**_

_**//And we will.//**_ Yami answered, pulling his deck from the holder on his belt.

Bakura grinned and jumped onto Yugi's bed. "You're on, Yugi."

**TBWL**

Sirius was quickly enthralled with the game 'Duel Monsters', watching the two duelists play hard and dirty (in Bakura's case).

It said something that he didn't hear Ron, Hermione, and Neville walk up.

**TSW**

Sirius may not have noticed, but Yami and Bakura did.

"I can't believe he's dropping us for _Slytherins_." Ron groused.

"Who?" Yami asked, he smirked at Bakura and sprang a trap, preventing Dark Necrofear from attacking, but not destroying it, knowing full well the consequences of such an action.

"Ron thinks that Harry's trading us in for Slytherins." Neville said, glaring at Ron. "If anything, Ron's ditching him. He hasn't talked to Harry since yesterday when he sat with Ryou, Malfoy, and Zabini."

"You _did_ insult my trustworthyness, Ron." Bakura said softly.

Ron glared at him. "You _were_ hanging out with Death Eaters."

Yami glared viciously, his crimson eyes making a flash appearance. "For your information, Ron. Blaise's family has been neutral for 27 years." he stood, gathering his cards. "Come on, Ryou. If Ron wants to be an ass, he can do it to someone who's _not_ my friend."

Ron gaped at the two as they left.

**TBWL**

"RONALD!!"

Ron winced and turned to look at his enraged girlfriend and housemate.

"How Harry can deal with you, I'll never know, Ron." Neville snapped, storming from the room.

Hermione glared at Ron. "You're lucky that Ryou is so forgiving, Ronald Weasley." she spat.

Ron lowered his gaze, wincing as the door slammed behind her.

Alone, Sirius transformed frowning.

"You agree with me, right Sirius?"

"No. I think Harry's on the right track. The Slytherins, no matter how much I dislike them, are good allies, if you can prove that they're loyal to you. From what he's told me, Yugi's a good judge of character."

"But-"

"They're not Death Eaters. Their parents are. Even _I'm_ not that bad. I think we've proven that not just the Slytherins are evil."

Sirius gave Ron a pointed look before transforming and curling up on Harry's bed.

**TSW**

Yami watched Bakura leave silently throwing up the requested illusion.

_**//Have fun, Thief.//**_

_**##Plan to, Pharaoh.##**_

With that, Yami leaned back to watch over the Hufflepuffs and the Gryffindors until Bakura got back.

**TSW**

Bakura didn't bother with Shadow Magic, preferring the 'daunting' task of picking the lock on Snape's door.

He was a bit disappointed to find that the potion's professor wasn't there.

Shrugging, he looked around. He found a stone basin with a silvery liquid swirling around inside. Narrowing his eyes, he connected his mind to Yami's.

_**##Yo, Master of Minds I got a question for you.##**_

_**//Judging by your phrasing, I'm guessing you're curious about something.//**_

_**##I was remembering something you once told us. That outside of the mind memories could take on a silvery color tone.##**_

_**//And?//**_

_**##This what it looks like?##**_

Picturing the basin and its contents, he forced the image down the link.

_**//…Where is this thing?//**_

_**##Serpentine's chambers.##**_

_**//…Make sure to ask why he's pulling memories from his mind, Thief.//**_

_**##Sure. Can I ask why its important.##**_

_**//If wizards are pulling out and replacing memories, especially placing them in a vat like that, then they're risking painful backlash. This backlash could destroy the mind. It's a much more basic form of my Mind Crush.//**_

Bakura winced in memory of Yami's favored Shadow Attack.

_**##Ouch.##**_

_**//Hope he's got a damn good reason.//**_

_**##We shall see.##**_ Bakura agreed, smirking.

**TBWL**

Severus left Dumbledore's office tired. The Order Meeting had lasted longer than expected.

His night wasn't made any better when he reached his rooms.

Thief sat in the darkened room, a silvery light illuminating the black encased legs beside his pensieve, which was perched on his table.

"How did-"

"Thief remember." Thief said, smirking. "Your locks are adequate."

Severus frowned. "Why do you have my Pensieve?"

Thief looked at the basin, not even bothering to pretend that he doesn't know what the wizard was talking about. "Why are there no protection charms on it?" he shot back.

"Why would there be?"

Thief stiffened, swinging his legs to the floor and leaning forward.

"Serpentine, do you understand what this holds? What you've placed in it?"

Severus swallowed. "Memories. Thoughts, emotions that I can't allow people to see."

"If it shatters…." Thief pressed.

Severus' eyes narrowed. "How would you know this?"

Thief chuckled. "Serpentine, I ask questions. Pharaoh's a Master of Minds, able to understand, adapt, and work around barriers."

Severus thought back to the tower, when Pharaoh had worked his way around the crack in his Occlumency Shields, reading his thoughts and memories.

"You understand that I don't give a damn about what happens to your mind, only your Soul and physical body. You've harmed, as unintentional as it was, someone close to me. To Pharaoh, even to your precious godson. Guardian's upset as well, although he lacks the patience to actually torture you."

Severus' wand was drawn and pointed at Thief before either could blink. "Do you think I'll _let_ you do it?"

Thief grinned wickedly. "Indeed I do." His long, gloved fingers danced over the rim of the Pensieve. "Because you couldn't stop me if you tried." He stood, casually. "Go on, Snape. Fire the spell on the tip of your tongue."

Severus hesitated.

Thief stood casually, not a tense muscle in his body. He either didn't expect him to fire, or he wasn't worried about it.

He lowered his wand.

Thief smirked. "Starting tomorrow, Serpentine, I expect you to be here. You'll suffer for a few hours, maybe I'll slip you information on what's going on outside your circle of attention. You'll know pain, Serpentine, beyond your wildest nightmares."

Severus closed his eyes against the promise, against the power behind it. When he opened them again, both his Pensieve and Thief were gone.

**TSW**

Yami stared at the Pensieve before him.

"He truly had no idea?"

Bakura shook his head. "None whatsoever."

Marik sighed. "What are you going to do?"

"Work on this Pensieve. Snape'll need a better protected one in the future."

"You don't plan on looking at it?" Bakura asked.

"No. Memories outside of the mind are volatile and easy to taint." Yami smirked. "Besides, I got everything I needed the first time."

Marik sighed. "We're avoiding it."

Bakura and Yami became more serious.

"In three days, Voldemort and Zorc will have enough power to continue with the next step. And we still don't know what kind of dragon is watching the school."

"We already know that Ghouls don't need to rest as much as they're not nearly as human as Death Eaters." Bakura murmured, forcing memories of a different time out of his mind.

"Well, if Harry's 'vision' didn't already show it, the Ghoul/Death Eater partnership up there sure as hell screams Voldemort and Zorc."

Bakura and Marik nodded solemnly.

"All in all…I think we know next to nothing about that alliance." Yami finished, looking out at the Forest from the Ravenclaw Tower.

**TBWL**

Harry woke to a finger, prodding him in the side.

"G 'way." he mumbled.

Someone snickered.

"Wake up, Potter, or you'll be late for Potions." a familiar voice drawled.

_**Amusement…**_

_**Adoring…**_

Harry sat up quickly as the last emotion fluttered along the back of his mind.

_**Horror…**_

_**Fear…**_

Harry stared into Draco's terrified grey eyes. Slowly he shook his head.

_:Fuck it. I'm skipping.:_

Harry could see Draco's eyes widening.

_:Woah.:_

Shields slammed up in Draco's mind, preventing the telepathic bond from completely connecting to his mind.

"Yes, Harry. We're skipping. And Blaise is calling Yami."

Harry blinked as Draco stood and left.

**TBWL**

Draco walked into the nearly empty common room and dropped onto the arm of Blaise's chair.

"Call Yami." he muttered.

Blaise looked up. "Why?"

"The bond's evolving."

"Ah."

"Harry and I are skipping morning classes. Possibly afternoon lessons as well."

Blaise nodded understandingly. "He'll be there."

**TSW**

Yami wasn't as surprised as they thought he'd be.

"You trusted each other last night when you fell asleep. The telepathic bond is based on trust while the emotional one is based on knowledge." he explained, sitting at Draco's desk, folding his arms on the back of the chair. "Should one of you ever _stop_ trusting the other in the early stages or until it's locked between your minds, it will disappear until your trust is regained."

Draco frowned. "Can we lock each other out?"

"Not the way you think" Yami answered. "You're using Occlumency Shields to prevent the bond from even making _contact_ with your mind. Even now, its prodding for a weakness. You're going to let it."

"What?"

"Yami, we can't go day by day talking to one another." Harry reasoned.

"And you won't. For the rest of the week you will, and then we'll work on your shields, Draco, and prevent speech at unwanted times." Yami answered.

"Why the week?" Draco asked. "Will it really be that long?"

"I don't know." Yami answered. "We're going with a week so that when the weekend comes, we can work for as long as we need to."

Draco looked at Harry who had winced.

"Draco, drop the shields. The telepathic bond isn't meant to be one sided." Yami pressed. "It's giving Harry a headache."

Slowly, Draco did as Yami said.

If he concentrated, Yami could see the blue-green bond reach tentatively for Draco, as if afraid of being rejected again.

_:Dray….:_

_::Sorry, Harry.::_

_:For what?:_

_::Before.::_

Harry grinned.

_:No harm done…although you could apologize with one of the many headache potions you've got lying around.:_

Draco snickered, but stood up to retrieve the requested potion.

Yami smirked at the two. "Now that you're through, you should probably move on. Find out how far you can go."

"Can you hear me now?" Harry quipped.

Draco looked at him in confusion, but Yami nodded.

"Exactly like that."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Draco. You two are both working on the dragon right?"

The two teens looked at one another. "Er…."

"Apparently not." Yami said dryly. "Get to work on that when you have the time, yeah?"

Draco and Harry gave him sheepish looks before the older Wielder flashed out, tendrils of shadows flinching away from the candles.

**TSW**

Bakura yawned, looking through Binns.

_Looks rather boring, Master._

The thief didn't need to look to see the Earl of Demise beside him in his spirit form, unseen.

"**Hello, Thanatos."** Bakura murmured in Egyptian.

_Master. Should I-_

"**No. What news do you bring me?"** Bakura asked.

_…The Spirits are getting restless, Master. They desire more battles, more blood._

Bakura lowered his gaze, looking lazily at Hermione, who was looking at him suspiciously.

She looked away quickly.

"**Tell them to stay put. Or I'll take them from Kul Elna to the Shadow Realm which won't be nearly as pleasant."**

Thanatos bowed his head. _Of course, Master._

And then he was gone.

Bakura reached out to the barrier that the Wielders had placed at the Hogwarts gates. Not hindering, but warning.

**TBWL**

Hermione heard the whispered language behind her and turned to look at the source.

Ryou, who normally paid rather close attention in History of Magic, was mumbling to himself, watching Binns.

The professor had been talking about the Egyptian Rebellion, in which four wizards had stood up to the darkest Dark Lord anyone's seen before Voldemort and won.

It was a rather interesting story. One that Ryou didn't seem to care about.

Ryou turned to look at her through lazy eyes and she nearly gasped.

For a split second, she could've sworn that Ryou had dark red eyes before they were quickly replaced by normal chocolate brown.

She quickly looked away, old suspicions rising.

_Could Ron be right about him? Could he be working for Voldemort to get close to Harry?_

**TBWL**

Harry looked out the window sadly.

From his vantage point, he could see Ministry Officials taking down the Quidditch Goals.

Umbridge had decreed Saturday morning that Hogwarts would not be playing again until grades were up to Ministry standards. The stands had already been taken down.

Beside him, he could feel the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams seething.

It was the first time that they'd stood together and not insulted each other.

_::We're meeting tonight. Room of Requirement. Bring Weasley and Granger.::_ Draco said icily.

_:It's time to move on.:_ Harry agreed, feeling a cold envelope him. _:Umbridge needs to be knocked down a peg or two.:_

**TSW**

That night, just before the meeting, the Wielders slipped out to greet their hikaris. The three weren't happy with the gloomy, death-like appearance of Hogwarts.

_**--Calm down, Keeper.--**_

Malik's eyes flashed.

_**-She's changed everything!-**_

_**/This isn't Hogwarts./**_ Yugi agreed. _**/This is an institution./**_

_**##We're going to the meeting. When she closed the Quidditch Pitch, the others called our renegade's first meeting.## **_ Bakura soothed.

_**--So calm down, and let's go.--**_

_**//Thief and I have someplace to be now that you're back. And Guardian's going to check on Slifer.//**_

_**#Alright. We'll see you later.#**_

The darks nodded and disappeared, leaving the lights to work with the group in the Room of Requirement.

**TBWL**

Theodore stood stiffly beside Blaise, watching the small group of Gryffindors warily.

Draco was relaxed, leaning against the couch that Potter and Granger sat on, talking quietly to the brunette Seeker.

It was obvious to the Slytherins that Potter and Draco were waiting for something, and Theodore was sure that Blaise knew what it was.

By the fire, a black dog watching with far too intelligent eyes.

_Animagus…but who?_

Theodore was distracted by the door opening.

**TSW**

Yugi looked over what he knew would be the Inner Circle of their group.

Theodore Nott stood closest to him, black hair brushed over to hide an intelligent, wary, brown eye. He was taller than Draco, standing at about Bakura's height. He had an athletic build, but seemed like more of a strategist than a sport's player.

Pansy Parkinson was watching Harry and Draco knowingly. Blue eyes were cold, hiding most of her thoughts. She was thin and had grown out of the pug-like features the Gryffindors' memories had shown. She was pretty, and although she often acted like a clutzy young woman, Yugi was sure that she hid a sharp mind.

He briefly ghosted over Blaise, Draco, and Harry focused on Hermione, Ron, and Neville.

They weren't hiding their wariness of the Slytheirns.

Grinning, he dropped his innocent façade. "Hey."

Draco and Harry looked at him sharply, curious.

The three hikaris nodded.

Draco smirked. "About time. Where the hell have you been?"

"Decision making." Malik said solemnly.

Draco and Harry sobered immediately.

Blaise reached for their minds.

_**;What are you doing?;**_

_**/We're all revealing things. If they're going to trust us, we can't lie now./**_

_**#It wasn't an easy decision, Cougar, trust us.#**_

_**-Breath, Cougar. We've received full permission. Even for you.-**_

Blaise's eyes widened.

_**-We haven't spent a week doing nothing.-**_ Malik smirked.

**TBWL**

Harry was prepared, as best he could, for the revealing of Sirius, but had been completely thrown when Malik revealed they'd planned on telling _everything_.

"Are you sure about this, Yugi?" Draco asked.

"We've gotten all the clearance we need." Yugi answered, looking at the group. "And we're looking at the people you both trust with your secret, and as such, ours."

"Start with Padfoot, Harry. The others will be along shortly." Ryou said quietly.

Harry looked around. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were watching curiously.

"I expect to know how you know who he is later, Yugi." Harry muttered.

"This is a rather long story. Have a seat."


	11. Revealing 1

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Revealing 1

Sirius watched the unlikely alliance of Gryffindors and Slytherins as Harry began the long explanation of the Potter Betrayal.

How Pettigrew had set up the massacre that would put him in jail, biding his time for twelve years.

How he'd broken out of Azkaban not to kill Harry, but Peter.

How Remus had assisted him in their third year, getting him in and out of Hogwarts at times.

The truth of the 'attack' on Ron.

How Harry, Ron, and Hermione had met and protected both Sirius and Peter two years previous.

How Pettigrew had escaped into the forest and back to the Dark Lord.

By the end, the Slytherins stared at the dog, stunned.

"Meet my godfather, Sirius Black." Harry whispered.

And before possible Death Eaters, Sirius transformed.

**TSW**

Yami left Dumbledore's office, emotionless mask shattering as he stepped through the open door, looking at Snape's bleeding form.

"Enough, Thief. We're needed elsewhere."

Bakura frowned, snapping his fingers so the black chains would disappear.

"What's going on?"

"**Truth."** Yami answered. **"An 'inner circle' type thing."**

Bakura frowned unhappily at the news.

"Cutting things close. Aren't they."

"Indeed." Yami agreed with a chuckle. "Let's join them."

"And enjoy possible fireworks."

Bakura and Yami left Snape bleeding on the floor.

Once the two were gone, Ryou stepped from the shadows, drawing back his hood, the man had lost too much blood to be able to see anymore than blurs so he wasn't at all worried about compromising his identity.

Kneeling beside Snape, he brushed greasy hair away from a particular nasty gash on his forehead.

"Professor." he muttered. "I_ know_ you can hear me. Thief specializes in keeping his victims awake to experience the pain."

Snape flinched minutely.

"I have no idea what you've done. But since Pharaoh has allowed it, I'm sure it has something to do with us. I cannot prevent Thief from exacting his punishment. But I can allow you to be spared the majority of the pain."

A thought flashed across Snape's mind. A question.

"My name for now, is Healer. Rest well, Serpentine." he whispered, a soft white light brightened the room for a moment before it faded, and with it, Ryou left.

Hours later, Snape woke, a dull throb coming from his wounds and a vague image of Healer, one that escaped his reaching mind.

**TSW**

Yami and Bakura returned from the Shadow Realm, Marik in tow, and joined directly with their hikaris.

The Slytherins were watching Black, who was staring at Yugi, Ryou, and Malik.

"You're not who you say you are." he finally said.

Yugi smiled knowingly. "No."

"Not completely." Malik conceded.

"Than what are you?" Theodore asked.

"Wielders." Harry and Draco said together.

All eyes were now on Harry and Draco.

"You knew? You both knew what they were and-"

"That's rude." Bakura drawled, splitting from Ryou, glaring at Ron.

Ron himself flinched at stepped away from Ryou and Bakura.

"You, little lion, need to learn to control your temper." Draco drawled. "They're more powerful than you, hell, _Harry's_ more powerful than you are, Weasley. You've got a brilliant, strategic mind, use it."

Ron stared at the Slytherin, stunned.

"You know what I find amusing, 'kura?" Marik drawled dryly, also separating from his hikari.

Bakura looked at him. "Hm?"

"That _they_ didn't pick up on his sudden change in magical energy."

"Wha-"

"Potter's energy, almost overnight, went from feeble and tingling to bright and burning a few weeks ago." Nott spoke up.

"It was around that time that Draco and Blaise started talking to Ryou." Parkinson added.

"Well, since we're all randomly showing up," a voice said, amused. "We might as well pop in ourselves."

The Wielders didn't need to look to know that Jess and Zane stood in the doorway.

**TBWL**

Blaise bowed his head respectfully to the two of them, much to Pansy and Theodore's surprise.

"Hey. I see we've drawn a few more strays than last time." Zane said, amused. "This your inner circle?"

Harry and Draco were silent.

"Such talkative Wielders." Jess smirked, dropping her cloak on the chair that appeared beside the door. Beneath it, she wore a blank tank top, with a silver Eye of Ra on the back, and form fitting black jeans. Heeled black boots were muffled in the carpet as she walked further into the room. On her right thigh, she had a .45 holstered, a tiny dagger was sheathed beneath the black and gold arm band on her left wrist. Perched on her head, was a pair of stylish black sunglasses.

This was the Shadow Assassin.

This was the Wielder's true leader.

**TSW**

Bakura walked forward, a dagger mysteriously appearing in her hand. He met Jess' gaze with a smirk.

Jess' hand came up, stopping the unseen dagger between her index and middle fingers, inches from her face.

"Nice." Ryou complimented.

"Do you always throw things at people you greet, Bakura?" Draco asked dryly.

Jess smirked. "Just me, Malfoy. Bakura's been my trainer for 17 years."

"It was a test. There are very few people who can throw knives and daggers better than Bakura." Yami explained, appearing beside Yugi.

"What if she hadn't caught it?!" Hermione screeched, terrified of how these people treated their own.

Jess turned to her sharply, eyes bleeding to amber.

Hunter smirked, leaning close over the teenager. "That's why I'm here. My reflexes are better than yours could ever hope to be, Muggle-born." She sneered.

Weasley took a threatening step towards the Queen of Shadows.

"I wouldn't." Nott muttered. "She's armed to kill."

"And screw with her, Weasley, and I'll shred you." Zane murmured calmly. "Hunter."

Hunter glanced at her prince.

"Leave her be."

"Of course, Prince." She curtsied him with a sneer before turning to the others. Just as quickly as she'd come forward, she shrank back.

Jess sighed. "This is why I hate interacting with outsiders. They all think we follow the normal laws of nature."

Bakura and Zane rolled their eyes.

"Jess, not the time." Yami murmured.

Jess fell silent, her playful attitude seemed to evaporate.

"You're right." She tossed a newspaper clipping, resized, and edited on the table. "It's not."

Yami looked at her, before reaching out and picking up the article. He noticeably paled.

"Shit."

**TSW**

"Before we explain the article, we need to explain our origin and the plan." Jess said, standing in the middle of the room. "Yami, Marik, and Bakura are all much older than their appearance suggests. They're over 5000 years old in Egypt from different facets of life. Yami was royalty, the youngest Pharaoh Egypt will ever see. Marik was Temple Keeper when they met, promoted to Guardian later for his skills with a blade. Bakura was a thief, after revenge for the death of his village.

"The three, along with Yami's high priest, went up against a vampire who delved deep into the Dark, Forbidden Arts. His body's been transfigured horribly because of this. He was born from the hatred of Kul Elna's inhabitants, Bakura included. Zorc is the most powerful vampire you'll ever come across, because he's the First. The First Vampire, Creator of the Shadow Realm," she paused looking at the Wielders. "And Controller of Demons."

Curses were thrown around the room.

"Silence." Zane murmured, commandingly.

Silence fell immediately although Blaise's eyes still blazed with anger and hatred.

"Can I continue, Zabini?"

Blaise nodded.

"Moving away from Zorc and the Item Spirits, we have the hosts, Yugi, Ryou, and Malik are their hikaris, or lights. The six plus two have been fighting for the last fifteen years against Zorc. In what was supposed to be the final battle twelve years ago, Yugi and his friends were vital, Yami would never have found out the information required so long as Bakura was held in Zorc's sway and stood against them, and Malik was too terrified of his other half and the damage caused by Zorc's manipulations to even think of entering behind his pharaoh.

"I am the Wielder's Shadow Assassin, there is only two beings with more power and control over the Shadows than myself, on, is my darker half, Hunter, and the other, is the Dark One himself. Compared to all of them, I am young. I am still learning about everything the Shadows have to offer me as a Guardian of the Shadow Realm, and am likely to continue learning for several hundred years yet.

"Hunter is and will always be the world's best tracker. Where she comes from, no one knows. She was gifted with the ability to command the Shadow Realm, almost equal to the power that Zorc himself holds over the Realm he created. In demon terms, she holds sway over everything that isn't already a Master, and several that are. She is wary of humanity and hates stupidity and self-righteousness more than anything else. She is the oldest of us experience wise, and is the most vicious of us. I will warn you all only once, do not get between her and what she tracks, because I have long since stopped protecting humans who don't listen to me.

"Zane is the Demon Prince. If the demon is not Rogue, they will eventually answer to Zane. While the throne is held by Zorc due to the conquering of the Demon Realm, where his parents ruled quite comfortably, it is rightfully Zane's by blood. Its just a matter of winning it back. Zane is a Wielder by choice. Like Hunter, you don't piss him off. Demons are vicious, but half demons are twice as bad by necessity. If you form an alliance with the Shadow Wielders, you better get over any prejudices you have, real fast. A wielder looks after their own before they look after any one else." Jess paused, glancing at Hermione.

"A Shadow Wielder is made up of two parts, a light, or hikari as we've come to call them out of habit, and a darker more sadistic and protective half, a yami. The two halves before you are unbreakably bound, Granger, not possessed."

Hermione looked startled.

"At any time, the hikaris could have rejected the bond. At least, for the first two or three years."

Bakura and Marik flinched.

"Try to separate them now and you'd die." Zane put in. "The darker half would kill you for your attempt and the light would let them."

"Hermione, the yamis and hikaris aren't bound by their need for one another. They're bound by trust, caring, and love of various levels. For the three of us, it's a lover's kind, for Jess and Hunter, it's a sibling love." Yugi put in. "We protect each other."

Hermione nodded slowly.

"Moving on a bit further, we introduce the Wielders-in-training. Harry and Draco are the _last_ hikari-yami couple ever born. Their bond is growing faster than any of the ones before it, out of necessity and understanding.

"This is not the first time that a Wielder has been born out of another magical breed, two of the four founders of this school were Shadow Wielders themselves, I believe that one was killed in battle, and the other followed not long after. As time goes on, don't be surprised if your friendships with the two of them seem to begin to fade when it comes to the other. A yami and hikari are always closer to one another than they are to anyone else, even among ourselves."

Jess looked at Zane.

"We discovered that the school will be attacked at various points during the school year, partly because the Wielders are here and partly because Salazar and Godric left their magic here in the school. The amount of collective Shadow Magic, which has already begun to mutate all of your kind's magic into something that can help and assist itself, this castle would make a perfect ruling point.

"We expect that by Christmas, the wards around the school will fall and Zorc, Voldemort, and anyone who works with them can and will enter." The Wielder said quietly. "Zorc's reach is far and we can't be everywhere at once. The eight of you, Draco and Harry included, will be building an army right here under Umbridge's nose. Turn the students against her in secret. Unite the school as best you can." Zane said. "While you're doing this, Jess and I are buying you time. Don't worry," he said, cutting Pansy off. "We have our own allies, and we will make use of every contact that we've ever made. This isn't our first rodeo without the others."

"Blaise, this article may interest you. This is the original." Jess said.

Raising her hand, a three dimensional image of the article she'd been looking at the few days before hovered above her palm.

"The Elementals." The Slytherin murmured, staring. "What are they doing?"

"That's what I want to know. This is a 'muggle' newspaper from the World Summit which was held in France this year. The gist of the article is that Ghouls attacked it and the Elementals prevented the blood bath as 'renegade assassins'. Now, since Ghouls are Marik's territory, and more than a third of them are Tomb Keepers of Egypt, I was wondering why they'd get involved. A friend of mine reworked the image, and we got this." She picked the article up off the table and passed it to Blaise.

**TBWL**

Blaise paled at the picture before him. "How?"

"So its true." Jess said quietly.

Blaise nodded. "Chaz is my older brother." He said shakily.

Jess sighed. "Zabini. It's Italian."

"Their memories were modified to believe they have a son. An indoorsy type, which explained why no one knew me before Hogwarts."

Draco stared at his friend.

"I was ordered to watch both sides of the 'war', Voldemort and Dumbledore have been using demons as well as the Death Eaters and Order Members to fight their war."

Blaise growled. "Chaz and I joined the Elementals together. Days after one of the Wielders banished my father. Or what was left of his putrid soul. Elementals and Wielders all have pasts, not the best kind either. My father was jealous of our demon blood. We believe that he's served the Dark One for ages, wanting the immortality demon blood would give him. Chaz and I were born with it. So we were beaten. Over the years, he kind of faded away from the Dark One's side and we havent seen too much of him when it comes to Wielder battles where we get involved. If I had to make a comparison, I guess my father would be to the Elementals, what Zorc the Dark One is to you Wielders."

"Couldn't he just take your blood?" Pansy asked, horrified.

"Unwillingly given demon blood is nothing short of poison." Zane said. "It's a precaution."

"Oh…."

"That means you wouldn't willingly give them anything."

"Beth." Jess murmured. "By this time she would have been free of DAO."

Blaise nodded. "She and Chaz were dating."

"Your lives are complicated." Sirius said quietly.

"Children of War." Bakura said quietly. "We were all born into this fight."

"In the end, it'll be down the Wielders and Zorc with the Death Eaters and Ghouls between us."

"We'll be there too." Ron put in. "As a school or alone."

Theodore poked the red head. "I hope you're including the Snakes in this Weasley. Voldemort's giving us a bad name."

Jess leaned against the wall. "This is the beginning of an alliance that will transcend everything your world knows." She said, grinning.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "The Alliance!"

Zane and Yami smirked.

Ryou and Malik drew out a piece of the wall, revealing a black slate with a piece of parchment pinned to it. As they watched, the words 'The Hogwarts Alliance' was being written above the parchment.

"Welcome to the Alliance."

On the parchment, the following names were written:

Yugi Mouto

Ryou Bakura

Malik Ishtar

Blaise Zabini

Harry Potter

Draco Malfoy

As Marik's words registered, new names appeared along with them:

Hermione Granger

Pansy Parkinson

Theodore Nott

Ronald Weasley

Neville Longbottom

Padfoot

"Welcome to the Alliance indeed." Sirius smirked.

* * *

Cerberus: I need help finding a story that I read some two or three years ago. I can vaguely remember Bakura and Ryou being the main pairing with at least Yami/Yugi on the side. The last thing I remember was Bakura being held by Kaiba for research purposes but I'm sure that the story must have been updated since then. It was a vampire/vampirese fic(I saw the Vampire's Assistant movie today and that's what brought on this desire to find the story), but it's been so long and I've written/read so many since then, that its all I can remember. If anyone has read this story and can tell me the title, I would greatly appreciate it.


	12. The Alliance Begins

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

The Alliance begins

In three days, word had spread to the Order of the Pheonix that someone was planning to screw with Hogwarts' High Inquisitor.

A note, delivered by Fawkes from Pharaoh, warned that the Wielders were always watching, always aware.

As Albus saw it, this left them with more time to try and enter the tombs in Egypt, now that he wasn't going to be dealing with Dolores and Cornelius all the time.

Almost a week after Pharaoh's letter, a strange man appeared at the tombs.

"**Can we help you?"** Albus asked, silently thanking Severus for the language potions.

"**Leave this place."** The man stated mysteriously. **"These tombs are under the protection of the Shadow Wielders. Continue to break in and they will not be responsible for the Dark One's response."**

"**Do you mean Voldemort?"** Albus asked.

The turbaned man shook his head slowly. **"Not the Dark Lord. The Dark One. Before even your life began."**

Albus was confused. This man was obviously either confused or knew more than he let on.

"**Odion. Begin containment please."**

A man, half of his face covered in hieroglyphics, walked up to the turbaned man.

"**Yes, Shadi-sama."**

The tattooed hieroglyphics turned from jet black to gold and a barrier of the same color forced the wizards back.

"**What are you doing?!"**

"**This magic is of no use to you, Albus Dumbledore. It helps or hinders those worthy of it. Leave this matter to the Guardians. Go. Go back to your school. The Shadow King is rising."**

With that, Shadi and Odion were gone.

**TSW**

"Did it work?" Jess asked.

"Of course, Jess." Shadi murmured.

Jess chuckled. "You gave him a cryptic warning didn't you."

Shadi smiled slyly. "Perhaps."

"We've been a baaaaad influence." She drawled, smirking.

"Indeed. You and Bakura." Shadi agreed.

Jess grinned cheerfully. "I won't deny a thing."

Odion and Shadi shook their heads, watching the Shadow Guardian's host flounce from the room.

**TBWL**

Sirius leaned back in his chair in the House of Black kitchen. He was once again confined to his old family home, much to his displeasure.

Across from him, Remus was nursing the 'dreaded' Wolfsbane Potion.

The werewolf looked incredibly old, his wolf pinning for the full moon, when he'd been able to _run_, to _hunt_, free of the potions that bound him.

"How is he?" Remus asked, washing away the taste of Snape's potion with pumpkin juice.

"The Malfoy kid's doing him good." Sirius muttered dryly.

"Draco? You never did tell me when Harry started hanging out with Slytherins."

"Because _I_ was never told." Sirius answered. "He misses you."

Remus smiled wryly. "And we can't get in. Umbridge won't let 'half breeds' near Hogwarts while she's there."

"And I'm a convict." Sirius said quietly, looking away.

"What's wrong, Siri?"

"I miss my freedom."

Remus only looked at him sadly.

"All of this time without him, not watching over him as I promised James. And now I'm trusting his care to students at Hogwarts."

Sirius was up and pacing now.

"Trust us than, Mr. Black."

Both wizards turned sharply to the man in the door way, wands drawn.

The man stared at them through an emotionless amber eye.

Remus frowned. "How did you get in here?"

The man smirked, revealing a fang. "I may be half blind, wolf, but that hasn't dulled any of my other senses. If someone with the right senses were to walk by, they'd see Grimmauld Place quite easily."

Sirius looked horrified.

"I see you've had contact with them."

"Who are you?" Sirius demanded.

"…this meeting will be our little secret. I'm not ready to return to Hunter's side." the stranger whispered, stepping further into the dimly lit room.

Remus gasped. "You're scent."

The Stranger's smirk softened to a sad smile. "Yes. Poison flows through my veins and flames have licked my skin."

"You should be dead." Remus said faintly.

The Stranger's eye stared deeply into Remus'.

"She loved you. She loved you and you…."

"It was necessary." The Stranger replied, all barriers coming back up. "I'm here to help you, Mr. Lupin."

"What?"

"Tonight is a full moon, is it not? First, I am going to force that despicable poison from your body." The Stranger stepped forward. "And then, we'll make a beautiful Lycan out of you."

Remus shook his head, horrified. "No!"

"Leave him alone." Sirius growled.

"This is necessary." The Stranger snapped. "Greyback is a Lycan, not a werewolf. You will _need_ a Lycan to beat him."

"There is no difference." Sirius snarled. "Leave Remus alone."

The Stranger's amber eye flashed with annoyance. "There is a _huge_ difference between the two. Werewolves are vicious, mindless murderers that come to life on the full moon. Lycans change at will, combining priorities of the wolf and human to combine the mind, senses, and body. Werewolf bodies don't look even remotely as beautiful as Lycans. Lycans are wolves that have a human form. Lycans are _gods_ among werewolves."

Remus shivered. "I can't. I'll kill."

"You can't." the Stranger replied flippantly. "I'm older and more powerful than you."

Sirius hesitated. "Do it, Moony."

"What?"

"I know he's trustworthy. I'll look up Lycans in the Black library while you work with him."

The Stranger smirked, whispering: "Welcome to the Alliance."

**TBWL**

Miles away, in the Room of Requirement, a new name was added to the Alliance:

Moony

**TSW**

Jess ducked under Odion's fist, flipped over Shadi, had a brief quarrel with Zane, kicked his ass, and hit the timer.

"Four minutes, nineteen seconds…. I need better sparring partners. I know all of Zane's moves and Shadi and Odion don't have the speed."

Zane chuckled. "You're impatient."

"A bit bored actually."

Shadi chuckled, leaving the room.

**TBWL**

Sitting in the private room in Hogs Head, Harry looked around.

Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors mingled, but the few Slytherins that had arrived stood in the shadows, unmoving.

The Alliance's inner circle stood at the front of the room, watching.

Finally, Draco and Blaise stepped up, throwing up personalized wards around the room before Ron got everyone's attention, his spell echoing loudly around the room.

Harry looked around once more. "Right now, this will end." He said quietly. "All rivalries will be left at the door or you will leave with a modified memory."

The room was silent.

"Slytherins. You're as much a part of Hogwarts as the rest of us, with just as much reason to want to fight for whatever you want. We're not here to deal with you as Death Eaters, potential Death Eaters, dark wizards, or unfriendly peers. We're here to learn. To fight. To treat each other respectfully and as equals."

"Every Gryffindor stand up." Ron said, breaking the silence that followed Harry's speech.

Slowly, they stood.

"Everyone on the left half of the room, go stand beside the Slytherins. NO SNEERS OR COMMENTS FROM EITHER SIDE!"

Harry watched, as with a few mutters, they did so.

Behind him, Ryou raised a hand and the crests on the students all disappeared.

"You no longer have crests. So, someone, tell me what's so different." Malik asked.

No one spoke.

"Good." Harry heard Hermione whisper. "We're doing good."

"The fight against both Umbridge and Voldemort will need more than strength, loyalty, and brains. To fight politics, we need someone who knows them. To fight a Slytherin, we need a Slytherin's cunning."

People opened their mouths to protest.

"This is a non-negotiable. Slytherins have as much a reason to hate Voldemort as you do." Yugi called out.

Silence fell.

"We have no intention of forcing any of you to fight. We plan on helping you learn to defend what you believe in. Should you desire to fight," Draco shrugged. "By all means, go ahead. Slytherins, and all Houses, be warned however. Should, we meet on the battle field, don't expect mercy just because we trained with you."

There was silence before:

"Will there be cookies?" Fred Weasley asked, throwing an arm across the shoulders of the Slytherin beside him.

Harry blinked several times before smirking. "Sure."

"We're in." Fred and George chorused, grinning.

Blaise snickered, stopping when hesitant calls of agreement came from most of the room.

Yugi called in a clear voice. "Welcome to the Alliance."

**TSW**

_**##That went remarkably well.##**_

_**//Indeed.//**_

_**#The Alliance is growing rapidly.#**_

_**--Students, Wielders, Elementals, convicts, werewolves. I'd say it is.--**_

_**/It was a good idea. Especially on the Twins part. They're an integral part of the school socially. People will follow them because of their personality./**_

_**-Not to mention that Dragon's an central part of the Serpent hierarchy.-**_

_**##The Ice Prince.##**_ Bakura snickered.

_**//We do have one problem, though. An undercover Auror saw us all entering the pub. He'll report to Umbridge first chance he gets.//**_

_**##There was another thief there as well. An Order member.##**_

_**--We can deal with the Order. Umbridge'll start searching for the large gathering.--**_

_**#...Leave it to me and Thief.#**_

_**##Dragon as well.##**_

_**//Don't worry about the Order. I'll take care of it.//**_

_**/The rest of us will take care of the Alliance and send a message to Lady Light and Prince./**_

The link went dead for the night.

**TBWL**

Neither Draco nor Harry returned to their dorms that night. The two were going through exercises that Yami'd given them, to help 'close the door' to their link.

_:Are you worried?:_

Draco looked over at his hikari. _::Of what?::_

_:Getting caught.:_

_::Not really. If we get caught, we don't have to sneak around.::  
_

_:What happened to your Slytherin Cunning, Dray?:_ Harry teased.

_::It's taking a vacation while I take a nap.:: _Draco answered, closing his eyes.

_:…yami.:_

_::What?::_

_:Yami. That means darkness. You don't seem Dark to me.:_

_::You'd be surprised.::_ Draco said, quietly.

_:Would I?:_

_**Sorrow…**_

Harry blinked. _:Draco?:_

Draco rolled over on the coach, not looking at Harry.

_::It's nothing, Harry. Nothing at all.::_

Harry watched as Draco fell into an uneasy sleep.

"You're not dark, Draco. You're of the Shadows."

**TBWL**

Remus woke slowly, looking around the room.

In a chair by the door, watching him with an unblinking eye, sat the Stranger. The room itself was relatively intact. A few claw marks marred the walls, but nothing more.

"How do you feel, Lupin?" the Stranger asked.

"Tired."

"To be expected. You've been watching all night."

"I…don't remember."

"Not you, your wolf. Its searching for a way out."

"Why?"

"You're a werewolf, you want to hunt. Black brought you a rabbit. But that wasn't a hunt."

"Is it…."

"Please, after being locked up all these years, aggression is to be expected."

Remus looked at the stranger. "Why won't you tell us your name?"

"Because you haven't earned it."

"Earned it?"

"Mmhm."

"How do we 'earn' your name? And what do we call you?"

"Stranger, of course." The Stranger smirked. "And you'll know when the time comes."

The Stranger stood, walking to Remus' bedside. "Be ready. Tonight we bring forth your wolf by choice."

Remus swallowed as the Stranger left the room.

**TBWL**

Harry stared at the huge, silver eagle owl that sat before him. It was staring at him with the same amount of confusion.

"Are you attempting to beat the unblinking owl in a staring contest?" Yugi asked, amused.

Harry flipped him off under the table. "I just don't know anything or anyone with a silver eagle owl."

"So find out who it belongs to." Blaise muttered, amused.

Draco snickered beside Harry.

Harry glared at them both.

"After the Tri-Wizard Tournament, you should know why I'm reluctant to touch such things."

Draco shrugged. "Good point."

Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to the owl.

_**--It bares you no ill will, Phoenix.--**_

Harry thought he did a brilliant job of not jumping when Marik's voice drifted through his mind.

_::Open the damn letter, Harry.::_

_:Okay, okay, jeez.:_

Slowly, Harry reached for the letter, not at all amused when Blaise and Draco coughed to hide their laughter at him.

_Potter,_

_Keep your yami away from Malfoy Manor over Christmas break._

_Narcissa Black Malfoy intends on initiating Lucius Malfoy's son without his consent. Search the French Villa._

_Your Summer Friend_

Harry's eyes widened, remembering the man who had come to the Dursleys' warning him to leave.

"Draco." He whispered, so only those immediately around him could hear.

"Hm?" the blond question, noting the quiet nature the conversation had taken.

"Did you see your father this summer?"

"No. Only Mother was there, why?"

"Read this." Draco took the parchment, frowning as he read it. "Father didn't wish for me to take the Mark until I left school." The letter fell to the table, where Blaise picked it up, Ron and Hermione reading on either side of him.

"Want to bet that once school was out, Malfoy would have taken Draco and ran." Ron whispered.

"Who's your summer friend?" Hermione asked.

"Over the summer, the Dursleys went out and Dudley and I met a half blind guy. Long hair, tied at the base of his neck. He killed some dude outside and disappeared."

Yugi frowned. "That's no one _we_ know."

"Is he trustworthy?"

"The man, how did he die?"

"He turned to dust."

"Vampire."

"So?"

"Vampires can't afford to kill their own kind. They're too few. You've got a brilliant friend Harry."

Draco frowned. "Why did he say to search our Villa?"

"I asked about your father because I doubt he's there by choice."

Yugi stood abruptly. "Let's go. Blaise, gather the circle, we'll need their help with this."

Draco and Harry looked at each other before following Yugi out of the Hall. They didn't need to see Ryou or Malik stand, nor Blaise, Neville, Theodore, and Pansy following the two Wielders, like generals following their leaders.

The Alliance was rising.

And they were doing so with a passion unlike any other.

* * *

Cerberus: I'm sooooo sorry this took so long. I've had it written for what feels like forever, but never posted it, and I have no real excuse for that, other than the fact that I just didn't seem to realize that I was procrastinating...if that word can even be used in this context. *prays to her readers to forgive her* I really am sorry, and I'll try not to let it happen again.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving yesterday. ^^ I had lasagna. Yummy!


	13. Rescue

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Rescue

The Room of Requirement was crowded. Copies of Godric and Salazar's portraits hung over the fireplace.

The Alliance's inner circle was spread around the room.

"So, why were we just asked to leave dinner?"

"Because, we're going on a trip this weekend."

"A trip where?" Theodore asked.

"To my family's villa in France." Draco muttered.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I need to check on something and if I'm right, we'll need healers."

"That's where Pansy and I come in." Ryou said, leaning against Bakura. "The two of us are going to a different room, where wards are being placed by Yami, Yugi, and Hermione to keep it hidden. Theo, you're staying here for now, only because we'll need the two of you to help come up with a way for the Alliance to talk to one another without speech and a wardrobe to keep your identity a secret."

Theodore nodded.

"Harry, Draco, this was to be a Christmas gift, but seeing as you're so impatient…." Marik threw a package to Draco and Harry. Neither was wrapped.

Pulling the tops off the boxes, they stared. "This is…."

"The cloak and outfit that the Wielders use in battle. Normally, the Shadows give them to you. But because of our…haste, we'll need to do it this way. They'll protect you from the less dangerous curses that your everyday wizard comes up with. Against a Wielder…you're on your own."

Harry took the cloak from the box, revealing the black leather shirt with a roaring lion head on the back. On the chest, just above the heart, was the Millennium Circle. It was different, however, from what the others had. A red and gold phoenix was silhouetted lightly behind it.

Draco's was similar, a coiled serpent hissed where Harry's lion was roaring. Silhouetted behind the Millennium Circle, was a green and silver Chinese dragon, curled.

Both looked up.

"Why?"

"Because Wielders will be hunted. We use similar magic to what Zorc and the Ghouls use. It's better if they don't see your appearance."

"Makes sense." Blaise murmured. "But this would imply that you plan on telling Mr. Malfoy about…this."

"Not yet, no. But eventually." Ryou said.

Yami appeared in the Room of Requirement, Hermione blinking rapidly beside him.

"We're ready to leave."

"Ron, Hermione, you're both staying as well." Bakura ordered, rifling through his wardrobe.

"But-"

"No." Marik snapped. "We can't afford a Death Eater, Ghoul or anyone else to see you. Ryou and Yugi will help the five of you come up with an outfit, and nicknames. They'll explain the basics of why."

"They're right." Pansy spoke up. "In most Dark Arts, appearance, even your true names give a caster power over you."

Hermione and Ron fell silent, sulking. Neville watched silently.

Bakura straightened from the wardrobe, his Wielders' outfit, hood down was blowing faintly with his power, a wicked, curved dagger dangled in his fingers.

"Let's get a move on, Wielders, we've got places to be and people to maim."

Marik grinned sadistically, fingering one of the may arrows that hung from his waist.

"Remember, Malfoy is priority." Yami said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Save Lucius, destroy souls." Bakura smirked.

**TBWL**

Lucius Malfoy, found himself very rarely aware of what was going on around him these days.

Bellatrix and Rudolphus were rarely willing to hold back when it came to him.

It was on one of his good days, that he awoke to sadistic laughter that was unfamiliar to him.

For a change.

The door was thrown open and Donovan ran into the room.

He collapsed forward, landing on Lucius' legs, blocking his view of the doorway.

Donovan was pulled off of him with a disgusted noise.

"Disgusting creature." Someone muttered above him.

Another voice snorted. "**Stupefy.**"

Another thump.

"Hurry up, Pharaoh, Ghouls are coming."

Pharaoh muttered something before he spoke up. "Didn't know you gave a damn, Guardian."

"Don't, but we don't need a soulless Malfoy. Would defeat the purpose."

A black blur appeared in Lucius' vision.

"Mr. Malfoy. Blink if you can hear me."

Lucius blinked, more out of curiosity than in answer.

Pharaoh sounded almost pleasant when he spoke next. "Good. Pheonix, Dragon, let's roll."

Pharaoh laid a hand on Lucius' arm and darkness began to seep in and around his vision.

**TBWL**

"Professor."

Severus looked up sharply. "Who are you?"

"Healer."

The name rang a bell.

"I'm here to give you information that mustn't make it to Voldemort or Dumbledore."

Severus narrowed his eyes.

"The Wielders are bringing Lucius Malfoy to Hogwarts."

"Are you insane?!" he asked, standing sharply

"Some of us, yes. However, Mr. Malfoy isn't in the best of health and students will be watching over him. At least for now. You'll find that someone will need to help when they can't. Someone who can move around the castle without the danger of being caught and getting punished for it. We're hoping that you'll help him, being his son's godfather and all."

Healer disappeared and a folded piece of paper appeared on the desk.

Severus stared at the spot where Healer had stood and sighed.

"So many fucking secrets. Why not add a couple more."

Grabbing the paper, Severus stalked from the room.

**TSW**

Ryou had just walked back into the room when Yami, Harry, and Draco appeared in the room.

Yugi, Pansy, and Hermione shot from the couch to the bedside.

"Ryou!" Yami snapped. "Come on."

Ryou shook his head sharply and moved forward, commanding Pansy to move aside.

_**/Remember, Healer, his magic isn't like ours./**_

Ryou smiled wryly. _**#I can't completely heal him. The Dark Magic in his blood could cause him to change into something different.#**_

Draco paled. "Different?"

"Demonic." Was all Ryou said on that matter. "I can take away the pain, however."

Draco nodded.

"Ryou…." Yami muttered. "Who did you lead here?"

"Snape." Ryou said, shrugging as he got to work on Lucius' pain while Pansy and Hermione worked through nerve damage, internal bleeding, and shallow cuts.

Yami banished Harry and Draco's Wielder attire, leaving them in the clothing under their Hogwarts robes, and drew the hood over his head, hiding his features just as the door slammed open.

"Please don't do that Professor, Granger and I are still learning and we've got no room for mistakes." Pansy murmured distractedly.

Snape seemed stunned, most likely at the fact that his Slytherins were working together with Gryffindors, without a harsh word between them, over a convicted Death Eater.

**TBWL**

Severus was more than a little surprised to see the two rival Houses working together.

To save a Malfoy no less.

"I hope you have potions, Professor Snape. I can't replace blood." Bakura said.

Severus said nothing, just stared at Lucius.

"UNCLE SEV!"

Severus blinked, looking at Draco.

Pharaoh chuckled. "Welcome back, Serpentine. You going to be useful now?"

Severus sneered and moved forward, pulling shrunken racks from his pockets and vial after vial of potions.

Draco and Theodore came to help him set them up so that the Potion's Master could get to work on Lucius.

_What did you get yourself into, Lucius?_

**TSW**

Yugi leaned back, watching the four 'healers' work.

_**#Pharaoh, kindly extract Thief from Malfoy Villa. He's singing.#**_

Yami laughed. _**//I'd imagine so. We'll go check out the Forest with Blaise until you're done.//**_

The pharaoh disappeared.

**TSW**

Bakura was indeed singing when Yami arrived.

And Egyptian war song, of all things.

Ghouls were nearly pouring into room that Lucius had once lain.

"Thief! Fall back!" Yami commanded.

Bakura stopped singing and _pouted_. "But-"

"Healer's orders, Thief. He wants you out of the Villa."

Bakura scowled. "Damn."

As he left, Yami drew one of the two katanas at his waist and took his place between Malik and Marik.

"Yo, Pharaoh."

"How's the patient?"

"Being worked on. How many are left?"

"About or dozen or so. Plus a couple of level threes."

"Alright." Yami seemed almost happy about it.

"…"

"Do we get to kill now?" Marik asked, breaking the silence.

Yami gave them a dark smirk. "Let's play."

**TBWL**

Draco frowned at the still, pale form of his father.

It irked him that Voldemort had done this to his father. That he had let this happen to his supposed right hand man.

He heard the door open behind him, but didn't look up from watching/staring at his father.

"Gryffindors, Draco?"

"At least they've given us a choice." Draco said quietly.

"And will throw you away once they're through with you." Sev sneered.

"Is the Dark Lord any different?"

Sev was silent, staring at Draco, and the Gryffindor that was sleeping on his lap.

"Do you think that whatever you and Mr. Potter have is going to last, Draco? Potter will throw you away once this war is over."

_**Denial…**_

_:I couldn't do that to him if I wanted to….:_

Draco blinked, the hand that had been unconsciously running through Harry's hair stilled.

"He won't." Draco muttered, looking at Harry.

"What makes you say that, Draco? His word? Potter can't keep his word if his life depends on it."

_**Annoyance…**_

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Sev."

"Oh? And you do?"

"Yes."

"Draco, you're a teenager-"

"Don't you _dare_ lecture me, Severus. You _don't_ know what's going on here. You _don't_ know what's going on between Harry and I. You don't know what's going on in my life, so just fuck off until you do."

Harry sat up quickly, just as Draco got up and stormed from the room.

"Way to go, Professor." Harry snarled, before following his yami.

The two teens left Severus in the hidden room with a slowly healing Malfoy.

**TBWL**

"Draco!" Harry yelled, annoyed. "Will you stop and talk to me?!"

Draco ignored him and continued walking.

"**Petrificus Totalis**!" Harry hissed, completely unaware he'd actually said the spell in parseltongue.

Draco dropped like a hat, glaring up at Harry.

_::Potter! Take this spell off or so fucking help me.::_

_: 'So help you'? Draco calm down. The two of us are going to talk. Away from the Wielders, away from the Alliance, away from Hogwarts.:_

_::Potter!::_

Harry ignored Draco, thinking. Absently, he brushed aside Draco's stray bangs, which had fallen over silver eyes.

_::Harry.::_

_:Hm?:_

_::Take the spell off. We'll go to Gryffindor Tower, Weasley, Granger and Longbottom will be at dinner by now and Yugi's probably on the Tower.::_

Harry thought about it.

"Alright."

_::And I suggest that you use parseltongue, as that's what you used to cast this spell.::_

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Even petrified you can drawl with the best of them. "**Finite Incantatem**."

Draco stood quickly, brushing out any wrinkles that he might've gotten.

Harry smirked. "Perfection must be hard to maintain when you're surrounded by students."

Draco pouted, oblivious to the effect it had on his hikari. "You have no idea. So many students brushing up against my clothes."

Harry swallowed hard, forcing his eyes away from Draco's lip and forcing himself to start walking to Gryffindor Tower.

Draco followed, still talking.

**TSW**

Yugi walked into the dark library, not making a sound as he passed straight through the doors that separated the Restricted Section from the rest of the library.

_//Why are you sneaking into the Restricted Section again?//_

_/Because, Harry's falling hard for Draco and the two of them haven't learned anything about the dragon yet./_

Yami was silent for a moment, but when he spoke again, it was with frustration.

_//I hope you have more luck than we are.//_

Yugi laughed. _/Bakura driving you up the wall?/_

_//More than usual.//_

_/Good luck, Yami./_

_//The same to you, love.//_

Yugi turned his full attention to searching the titles for anything remotely useful.

**TSW**

Yami was on the verge of murder.

The centaurs were reluctant to allow Yami and Bakura into their forest, even with Blaise.

The two Wielders flit through the trees rapidly, Blaise just barely able to keep pace, and the centaurs followed below them.

And Bakura taunted them.

The bastard had a death wish.

_You all do_. A little voice in the back of his mind whispered. He pointedly ignored it. Royalty didn't argue with themselves, after all.

Yami could hear the centaurs.

_**//Thief, knock it off, you have a job to do.//**_

_**##Right, I'd forgotten.##**_ Bakura said sarcastically.

_**//Thief! Torment the fucking centaurs at another time. I do **_**not**_** want to be out here all night.//**_

_**##...Jeez. Do you get-##**_

_#Bakura, I'm warning you.#_

_##Damn.##_

_**//Thank you, Healer, because I don't doubt he would have finished that sentence just to piss me off.//**_

_**##Moving on. There is shadow magic to our left. It must be either faded or under the radar.##**_

_**//Must be, I don't sense anything.//**_

_**;I do.;**_

_**##Oh?##**_

_**;It's partial telekinetic.;**_

_**//Partial?//**_

_**;It's mixed with something else. Something familiar.;**_

_**##...Pharaoh?##**_

_**//I think it's demonic magic. I can feel it now that I'm looking for it.//**_

_**;…Do you think…;**_

_**//It's possible.//**_

_**##He's got to keep them somewhere.##**_

Yami realized that the three of them had stopped moving and the centaurs were shifting unhappily beneath them.

"Bane!" Bakura called down.

"What do you want now, Thief King? Taunting us will only get us angry." The centaur called.

"Actually I want to know if the old fart of a headmaster is holding demons in your forest."

Bane shifted, stomping a hoof in anger. "They eat twice as much as Aragog's children, you will make them leave, yes?"

"We'll try, Master Bane." Blaise said. "But I can't make any promises without my Leader's consent."

"Of course, friend." Bane answered, ignoring Bakura's mocking expression.

"**Yami."**

"**I feel it."**

"**Split up."**

"…**we may have to. The forest may be the Elementals' domain, but anything where Ancients or Shadow Creatures are involved becomes ours. Be careful, Bakura."**

"**Sure, pharaoh."**

"Hey!"

Yami and Bakura ignored Blaise, sliding deep into the shadows, before calling on the Shadow Realm.

**TBWL**

Draco sneered at the amount of _red_ in Gryffindor Tower.

"Aren't Gryffindor colors red _and_ gold?" he asked.

Harry chuckled. "That definitely explains why I don't like the place. Far too much blood red."

"I can see why that would disgust you, Potter."

Harry smirked. "This way."

Draco followed his hikari up the stairs and into the dormitories. He was amused when Harry led him to a solid black bed amidst the sea of red.

"Taking charge, Potter?"

_Back to Potter…._

"I don't want to appear cheerful if I'm not." Harry shrugged, leaning against the headboard.

Draco sat on the edge tentatively, tense.

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered.

"For what?" Draco asked, looking at him.

"Whatever I did to piss you off." Harry answered.

"What the hell makes you think you've pissed me off?"

Harry looked at him pointedly. "You've gone back to using my family name, Dray."

Draco winced. _So he did notice._ "It's force of habit, Harry. I'm not mad at you."

"Sure?"

"Well, I'm rather upset that there was no cushioning charm on the ground before you cast the Full Body Bind on me."

Harry snickered. "Prat." He looked at him. "Doesn't change the fact that you're strung tighter than a piano wire, Dray. And don't tell me its nothing."

Draco looked across Ron's bed and out the window. Harry watched him.

"Draco, I want to help you. I won't force you to tell me anything, but I can't do anything unless you do."

Draco looked at him sharply. "Why? Why do you want to help me?"

"Because you're my friend."

"…Friend."

Harry looked him over. "I know you're friends with Blaise, Draco. I know that you'd miss him if he had truly betrayed you that day."

Draco frowned. "Harry…."

Harry lay back, closing his eyes. "Gryffindors, loyal to a fault, Dray…most of us anyways."

Draco snorted. "I know."

"Should I be insulted?" Harry asked, smirking.

Draco looked the Gryffindor over.

The bruises that had once stood out sharply against his pale skin had faded to a mass of yellow and green, although he was going by memory, as the form fitting (for once) black sweater covered them.

_The bruises are fading…. It's not someone at Hogwarts than…._

Draco shook himself from the thoughts and looked back out the window.

**TBWL**

Moony wasn't happy. Twice now, this stranger had forced him to talk to the human who poisoned him. He was seconds from attacking the demon this time.

"Please don't." the human pleaded. "I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want him to get hurt. I just want to get along."

Moony growled at the stranger. ""Why? You never cared about getting along before.""

The human sent him a wave of depression. "I didn't know any of this was possible. All my life I've been shunned because of you. I was desperate to fit in."

""You poisoned me!""

"I didn't know!" the human cried. "I didn't know what I was doing to you. That man's helping me get it out of my system. To help me understand you."

The human was unaware?

""You don't know anything about this creature?""

"Creature?"

""He is a demon. Like us.""

"He's a werewolf?"

""Smells like a dog.""

"May I…may I ask him?"

Moony became suspicious.

""I am unable to speak.""

"But you said that he was a dog. Dogs are able to speak to one another aren't they?"

Moony was silent, thinking the human's words over.

""What's your name human?""

"Remus. But my friends call me Moony."

""…That is my name. Moony.""

Happiness radiated from Remus.

""You will ask the dog creature?""

"Of course, Moony."

**TBWL**

He watched Remus Lupin communicate with his wolf, hearing vague comments that the werewolf let slip.

Anger was prominent in the glowing amber eyes at first, but slowly it simmered down to curiosity, and then wariness.

He was unsurprised when a spark of intelligence entered the werewolf's eyes.

"**You…not…human."**

He suppressed a smirk at the broken canine speech.

"**No, I'm not werewolf."**

"**Name…Moony."**

"**You've yet to earn a name, Werewolf. I will help you. Teach you."**

The wolf growled, taking a step towards him.

He didn't flinch.

"**What…you?"**

"**A demon. We'll get to that. For now, we have tonight and tomorrow to teach Lupin how to call you. We can't do anything until he learns it."**

"**Why…help…us?"**

"**Because I must."** Was the demon's response.

**TBWL**

Sirius leaned back, rubbing the bridge of his nose and his eyes tiredly.

The Black Library was extensive in all things Dark. Rituals, spells, creatures.

It had taken him a bit to find a book on werewolves and even longer to find one on their Lycan cousins.

The Stranger was right. There was a significant difference between Lycans and werewolves, despite that they originate from the same disease.

_Lycans, an evolved form of the primal and destructive werewolves, are much fewer than their cousins._

_Werewolves are skeletal in their appearance, making them more fearsome, however once they make the change to Lycan, their next transformation will herald a better, more satisfying appearance. Lycans are more difficult to hunt because of this. They now appear as simple wolves, only slightly larger than the average gray or arctic wolf._

_Lycans have the ability to use magic, because they share a body and mind with their hosts, thus allowing them to meld the magic of the Earth into whatever they need it for, be it healing or fighting. Most Lycans tell that they have a friendship of sorts with the evolved werewolf mind, the Lycan coming when called to aid the human. The human is also said to go through a change. They begin to show signs of gaining better senses and agility._

_ How werewolves evolve into Lycans is unknown to witches and wizards, as it's a closely guarded secret for any Lycan._

Sirius frowned at the passage. If it was a closely guarded secret, how was it that this Stranger was aware of it?

**TSW**

Yami watched in disgusted detachment as demon after demon was subdued by the Order of the Pheonix.

_We've allied ourselves with monsters._

_**##Pharaoh.##**_

_**//Yeah?//**_ he muttered, distracted.

_**##The Elementals have another reason for getting involved.##**_

_**//What?//**_

_**##The Dark Lord got his hands on their healer.##**_

Yami winced.

_**//Flame won't be happy.//**_

_**##Should we….##**_

_**//…. Call Guardian and Keeper. We'll need distractions.//**_

_**##I wonder if the Old One and the Dark Lord are aware of how close they've got their demonic armies.##**_

_**//To one another.//**_

_**##Yeah.##**_

_**//It's possible.//**_

_**##...summon all of them.##**_

_**//Why?//**_

_**##Jackel and Dark Priest just arrived.##**_

_**//Alright…. And it's safe to say that the Dark Lord's aware, Thief.//**_

_**##Oh?##**_

A mental flash of Ancients around the woods.

_**##This is officially our territory.##**_

Shadows wrapped lovingly around Yami's form.

_**//Let's go.//**_

In the air above the Forbidden Forest, the summons appeared.

**TBWL**

Harry sat upright with a gasp.

Darco sat up from where he was laying at the end of the bed.

"What's that?" Harry panted.

Yugi almost flew into the room.

"It's a summons. A call for all Wielders and their allies in the vicinity."

A shimmer of air and three completely white cloaks, save for the names on the back in shimmering metallic gold, and the word 'Alliance' along the right side, appeared beside the young yami.

Ron, Hermione, and Neville ran in behind him. "What the hell?" Ron growled.

"This is important." Yugi said, rummaging through his wardrobe for his Wielder's outfit. "We don't use the summons unless more than one Dark Summoner is around, they're part of the reason we use codenames in joint telepathic link. Put those on." He gestured to the bed. "Ron is Leo, Hermione is Virgo, and Neville is Pisces. Once the hood is on, it won't come off until you take it off."

Malik and Marik appeared in the room, hoods thrown back, exposing their appearance.

"They ready?"

Harry felt his clothes melting into the Wielders' shirt, cloak, and pants.

Yugi stepped up beside Ron and Hermione. "We are now."

**TSW**

Yami stood beneath the shimmering image of Slifer the Sky Dragon.

Demons looked up at it in awe and hope.

The Order of the Phoenix stared at him.

"Who are you?" a severely scarred man asked.

Yami growled viciously. "Hush, mortal."

The Shadows shifted.

"Look what we have here. The _wonderful_ Order of the Phoenix."

"Meet the Alliance, mortals. Or part of it anyway." Yami sneered as Malik stepped from the shadows, flanked by Yugi and Theodore. Ryou and Pansy stepped up behind Yami.

**TBWL**

Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody was getting worried. The dragon that had appeared in the forest, making the sky crash in a sudden and unexpected storm, lowered gaping jaws to the cloaked figure's shoulder.

Every figure in the clearing was cloaked in a similar way. No attributes could be seen, not even with his magical eye.

"Did you know that demons forced to do anything against their will have the right to attack to kill their captors unless the Elementals intervene." The first figure asked.

"And guess what, Professor McGonagall, there are no Elementals here to save you." The second voice smirked.

McGonagall froze beside him, trying to place the voice.

"Pharaoh, Thief and the others have her." A soft, quiet voice muttered, just barely heard among the muttering from the Order.

Pharaoh, the first figure, nodded shortly. "Tell Albus Dumbledore to stay away or he'll make enemies with someone more dangerous than Voldemort."

"Free them!" the second voice yelled.

As one, the Alliance slid past the stunned Order, wands drawn.

**TSW**

Marik was having fun.

Getting the Elemental Healer had been easy. Getting her out was the more difficult part. By the time the Alliance had gotten into the area, barrier and all, the Death Eaters on guard had called in back up.

It was probably a good move, bringing the Gryffindors to battle Death Eaters. They would have hesitated against the Order of the Phoenix.

Now however, they were doing incredibly well, for a bunch of teenagers going up against full grown dark wizards.

"Hey! Dragon!" he heard Harry yell. 'What's this got to say about Tom's 'army'?"

Draco snorted. "Not much. They're being beaten by half trained witches and wizards."

One of the Death Eaters let out an enraged scream.

_**--I think your aunt just heard your wonderful voice, Dragon.--**_

_::That'll cause family problems.::_

_:For who? You or your mother.:_

_::Mother, of course.::_

_**##You boys do realize that she knows your real name, correct.##**_

Draco took a few minutes to focus before he was able to answer.

_**::Do whatever you need to.::**_

_**##Whoo!##**_

_:You sure about this?:_

_::…Not really.::_

_:But?:_

_::I never liked Aunt Bellatrix. She was a bit too twisted for any Malfoy's tastes.::_

For now, Harry pretended that he hadn't heard the sorrow, regret, and self-hatred as he lost himself to the fight.

**TSW**

Bakura leapt out of the way, dragging the blue-haired ice maiden with him.

_**##Alright, Ice?##**_

The young woman nodded, although she was shaking.

"Demons! Attack the intruders!"

_**##Thanks a lot, Dragon.##**_

_**::Not my fault. Bellatrix Lestrange was crazy long before I was born.::**_

_**##Guardian.##**_

_**--On it.--**_

"Give her to us." Hermione said. "We'll watch out for her."

Bakura hesitated. Even he wasn't crazy enough to 'unwittingly' risk the healer's older brother's wrath.

"It's alright, Thief. My brother isn't here to protest."

"Yukina, your brother will find out at some point, and that's what scares me."

Yukina chuckled. "Yes, Flame does that doesn't he. However, Flame's not here, and these demons were are on something. They can't resist that woman's commands."

Bakura looked around. Yukina was right. Already the Alliance and Wielders were being forced back.

"Fuck. Take her, but stay out of the way." He ordered, almost shoving Yukina at the Gryffindor.

"Dark Necrofear! Stop their advance!"

Immediately, the Millennium Ring flared, summoning the fiend creature from the Shadow Realm between the demons and the Alliance.

Marik shot him a glance.

"Do it."

Marik's Millennium Rod all but appeared in his hand.

"Hermos!"

The dragon answered his master's call, roaring.

Death Eaters and demons alike stepped back.

"I'm sorry." Bakura heard Yugi whisper before the two creatures attacked.

The demons didn't stand a chance.

**TBWL**

The next day, the Wielders, even Harry and Draco, felt a sadness at the demons' deaths. Like long lost family you never knew you'd had were killed before your eyes.

"It's your status as Wielders." Yukina explained to them gently the next time they went to visit Lucius, who's room they had her holed up in. "Demons are your natural allies, even those on the 'other side' to kill one would have been a major decision on Bakura and Marik's part. To kill all of them…."

Draco wasn't used to the emotion, and released it the only way he knew how.

He lashed out.

Viciously.

Anyone that wasn't a Wielder was a target.

Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs refused to talk to the blond.

Slytherins avoided him.

And Gryffindors lashed out in return. Rivalry was beginning to flare between the Gryffindors and Draco, and Harry could only watch sadly as the Alliance began to plan their first true meeting.

* * *

Cerberus: As I have been having minor computer problems, and family issues, but that's another story, this is the first chapter since like...9, that I haven't made changes to the chapter that I thought, would fit my plot, and infuse some of the constructive critisism I get from reviews -cough-Selkies-cough-. Because of this, if any reviews are given in the next few days, that I feel can help make this chapter better, I will repost it next week with those changes _and_ post a new chapter. Twice the work for me, double the output for the rest of you ^^


	14. Wolf Senses: Lupin's Training and

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Wolf Senses: Lupin's Training and the Escape

Remus Lupin was tired.

He'd spent three days non stop attempting to call Moony. It wasn't as easy as the Stranger made it seem. For hours on end, the Stranger drilled his ability to talk to Moony into his head until he could do it in his sleep. The cross between meditation and projection was mentally taxing, more so for Remus, who had never been taught either.

But he did it. By the end of the fifth day, Remus could talk to Moony, even if the wolf didn't trust him. Before he fell asleep on most nights, he would drag his connection to Moony into slumber with him, trying to show Moony that he was making an attempt to fix what his lack of knowledge may have broken.

""Why do you care so much now, Remus?"" Moony would ask each time he did this.

"Because I don't want you to ever feel unwanted again." Remus would always answer.

**TBWL**

Days later, Moony finally asked a question that Remus _wasn't_ expecting.

""Why haven't Prongs, Wormtail, or Padfoot come anymore?""

Remus felt a pang of anger and sadness.

"Wormtail turned traitor. Padfoot's actually down the hall. He wasn't sure if you wanted to see him."

""And Prongs?""

"Prongs…Prongs was killed."

Remus left Moony to grieve over one of his first friends, pulling out of his trance with some effort(it was easier to enter than it was to exit) and walked down the hall to Sirius' room.

**TBWL**

Sirius was sleeping when Remus knocked on his bedroom door.

The convict stumbled to the door, yawning. "Who'sit?"

"It's me."

Sirius frowned as he opened the door.

Remus stared at him for a moment, his amber eyes filled with an incurable pain and sadness.

"He asked." Was all his friend whispered.

Sirius smiled sadly in realization, his own grief hitting him like a stunning spell, almost knocking the air from his lungs. "Come on."

Remus followed his friend blindly down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Sirius placed him in a chair and ordered Kreacher to make them both hot chocolate.

"He finally asked, huh. What did you tell him?"

"The truth. That Peter turned traitor and James was dead."

Sirius winced. "Blunt aren't you."

"I wanted to get it over with." Remus answered, grabbing an orange.

"I know."

"I feel like a teenager again. Having a nightmare and waking you for comfort."

"I remember you went and tried to wake James once and he almost broke your nose." Sirius snickered.

Remus threw a piece of orange peel at him. "That wasn't funny. Moony almost tore him apart the next night."

Sirius flicked the orange peel off his shirt, and nodded a hesitant thanks to Kreacher.

The house elf bowed and left with a crack, not muttering for once.

"It hurts, Siri." Remus whispered, spinning the peeled orange on the table.

"I know. Every time I see Harry, I feel like I've taken something from both of them. James from Harry and Harry's chance to enjoy his life like a teenager and not a warrior."

Remus smiled sadly. "He's a lot like Peter used to be. He worms his way into your heart and stays there."

Sirius' eyes flashed at the mention of Peter.

"So you're awake."

The two Maraurders looked up.

The Stranger stood in the doorway, his face half shadowed, but his mismatched eyes glowed like a cat's eyes, reflecting the candlelight. "I might suggest that you move from the kitchen. The Order of the Pheonix is returning from their search of the Forbidden Forest."

Sirius and Remus stood quickly. "You have a plan?"

"Of course." The Stranger smirked, holding up two dark red cloaks. "Stick to the Shadows once you leave the house. Don't return until I come and tell you otherwise."

Sirius and Remus hesitated before taking the cloaks and slipping them on.

"Run quickly." The Stranger whispered, fading into the darkness once again.

**TBWL**

Albus was not happy.

Not only had his connection to the tombs been restricted, the demons he'd managed to capture had been set free and were now running loose in the Forbidden Forest.

And once he returned to Grimmauld Place, both Sirius and Remus were gone, despite his order to stay in the house.

Kreacher wasn't talking.

"Is there any way to find them?" he asked.

Minerva shook her head.

"No. The tracking spells show interference."

Seconds later, the entire house went up in black flames.

"Albus Dumbledore. Where is my sister?" A voice snarled, vicious and bone chillingly cold. It seemed to echo around the house, making it impossible to pinpoint his position.

"Who's there?" Alastor snarled, drawing his wand, magical eye spinning as it tried to penetrate the flames.

The flames parted and curled around a small figure, silhouetted against the darkness, red eyes glowed.

"I am fire. And every thing that it symbolizes."

Nymphadora coughed, the smoke seemed to rise higher and form faster, filling the air quickly.

"You have much to learn about my home, **ningen**." The figure hissed. "And as much as I'd enjoyed setting my dragon on you, I have better things to do. Like finding my sister and searching for _your_ wayward werewolf."

Albus swallowed despite himself.

"Demons are not your slaves, fool. We are no one's slaves. Stay away from Makai. Or we'll destroy you."

Both the flames and figure vanished, leaving fourteen unconscious due to smoke inhalation, two with severe third degree burns, and the house in perfect condition.

**TBWL**

Remus and Sirius were blocks away when the huge black dragon-like creature crashed down on the road beside them. The backlash threw the two wizards to the ground.

Sirius sat up slowly. "Remus, you alright?" he called, shaking his head just as slowly, wincing when the world spun for half a second before settling.

Remus let out a half groan, half growl. "Depends."

"On what?"

"Who's he?"

A dark chuckle made Sirius look at the street, where the mouth of the dragon had smashed into the ground, there now stood a man.

The young man was short, only a few inches taller than Harry, even with the rather ridiculous hair. It stood straight up, black with a white star burst looking thing. Black flames whipped in all directions, the focus point being the boy himself.

Crimson eyes flashed malevolently behind black bangs. A sword was held loosely in his right hand.

"You've been avoiding your kind, mutt." The boy whispered.

"What?"

"Werewolves all over the country are after your blood, Lupin. Because of the potion in your blood."

"P-potion?"

"Hn."

""He's not human, Remus."" Moony warned.

"No, really? The black flames gave it away."

""Snot."" Moony snarled, falling silent.

Remus winced, the feeling that he'd just hurt the werewolf burned into his mind.

"You didn't know? The potion remains in the system for more than a year. Even after the first effects wear off. They'd come back the next full moon. The amount you've put in your blood stream could give numerous werewolves a new life just by tasting it."

Sirius moved, drawing the boy's attention.

Something opened on his forehead, something that looked eerily like another eye. "Don't try anything, **ningen**. I'm not particularly fond of your _Order_ right now."

"What did we do?" Remus asked. "And would it be possible to get your name?"

"Someone has my sister." The boy's voice deepened in anger and his eyes took on a reddish glow. "And you're going to find out who."

"What makes you think we'd help you?" Sirius asked.

The boy's frame became more pronounced as the flames died down a bit, curling around his lower body like a lover's touch. "Because I've told you to. Because I've protected you this far, from the old man's manipulations. Who do you think planted the animagus idea in your head, Black? This is how you will repay me."

Remus could just barely hear him as he disappeared into the night, but even his eyesight, enhanced by the werewolf strain in his blood, couldn't follow him, the man moved that fast down the street.

**TBWL**

Sirius and Remus spent the night in the forest, awaiting the Stranger's okay to go home.

By morning, it hadn't come and Moony was beginning to get restless and not even Padfoot's presence could calm him.

""Something's wrong.""

"Calm down, Moony. We'll go look tonight."

""No!""

Remus blinked in surprise. "Wha-"

""Don't go back! Something's there. I can smell it, even from here.""

Remus frowned. "Siri. Something's not right. Even Moony can feel it." He whispered. The canine looked up at him, worriedly, questioning. The werewolf shook his head. "No, we can't go back. Not yet…."

""You feel it too.""

"Yes. Danger's following us. From the Order of the Phoenix."

""What are you going to do?""

"I think we need to keep practicing what the Stranger last taught us. We may need all the help we can get."

""And Padfoot?""

"…I won't let him go back to Azkaban. If the danger's coming from Dumbledore."

""But he needs your help, doesn't he?""

"Mine, yes. But Sirius…."

Moony whined quietly. ""Padfoot?""

"Like I said, I won't let him go back."

"Remus?! Sirius?!"

The two looked up quickly.

"Are you here?!"

_Damn. It's Kingsley._

"Remus?! Sirius?!"

Sirius stood quickly and turned.

Remus' amber eyes sparked.

"**Not Kingsley."** Moony growled.

Sirius turned to look at him.

'_Most Lycans tell that they have a friendship of sorts with the evolved werewolf mind, the wolf coming when called to aid the human…' He has the potential, just like the Stranger said._

Sirius shook himself.

"**What do you mean?"** he asked.

"**Smells…tainted."**

The sky flashed, illuminating the area with its light. The scent of approaching rain grew stronger.

"**You're Moony."** He realized. **"Not a trace of Remus is in control right now."**

Moony grinned wolfishly. **"Says…trusts me."**

Sirius gave the wolf a fanged grin. **"We need to run away. Shacklebolt's an Auror. He knows all sorts of tricks."**

"**Lead."** Moony commanded, turning away from Kingsley's tall form.

Sirius nodded and sprinted through the park woods, Moony on his heels, both of them as silent as only animals and predators could be.

**TSW**

He moved silently through the city. His appearance, as usual, gained him more than a few odd looks.

It didn't matter to him. He was following the young, tainted Auror. He'd led him to the woods, his nose told him that his charges had passed through the area almost nine hours before, the scent blew on chilled wind, bringing the approaching storm even closer.

Lightning flashed, illuminating figures too far away for human eyes to see.

His eyes narrowed.

As he watched, they turned and fled.

As predicted, the Auror gave chase.

"So the hunt begins, Zorc." He smirked.

**TBWL**

_He's following us! And keeping up!_ Sirius thought, ears twitching as he listened to Kingsley's footsteps. _That shouldn't even be possible. He's only human._

The two stumbled slightly, the streets were rapidly becoming wetter and wetter, making traction difficult to find, even with the extra balance gifted to them.

Judging by the footsteps, Kingsley wasn't stumbling. Not once had the steps faltered.

_This is im-fucking-possible. He's only human. Chasing and keeping up with a dog and werewolf!_

"S-Sirius, we need to lose him. This is unnatural." Remus said.

Sirius' eyes narrowed. _I know that. But how do we lose what shouldn't be able to do this in the first place?!_

_**;;Listen to me very carefully, the both of you.;;**_

Remus almost tripped over his feet.

"Wha-"

_**;;Don't speak out lout, Lupin. Think it and I'll hear it. Black, you're both going to Hogwarts.;;**_

_But Remus'll be killed._

_**;;Pay attention. When you get to Hogwarts, contact Bakura. Tell him that a friend of Hunter's is back, and is requesting sanctuary for you two. If everything goes according to plan, Jess or Zane'll show up to check it out. Do **__**not**__** under any circumstances give them a description of me.;;**_

_But why?_

_**;;It's not time yet. Take a left.;;**_

The two sprinted around the corner and a flash of lightning sent a shadow of something above them. It looked to be running, shielding them from the rain.

_**;;If they insist, ask to speak with Hunter directly. Tell her exactly what I tell you. Any mistake and you'll be killed.;;**_

_A-Alright._

_**;;Good. The house at the end, the door's been open for you. Enter it and you'll be transported directly to the Forbidden Forest.;;**_

_What did you want us to tell Hunter?_ Sirius asked.

_**;;Divantera.;;**_

_Thank you for everything._ Remus murmured.

_**;;Such is the Alliance. We watch out for one another.;;**_

Something formed between Remus, Sirius, and the door. In the darkness, neither could see what it was.

_**;;Keep running. Don't look back, no matter what.;;**_

As they got closer, they could make out a partially rotted corpse dressed in an Egyptian slave's attire.

The two almost stopped in shock.

_**;;No! Don't stop. It can't harm you, it's too weak.;;**_

Remus closed his eyes tightly as the two passed the corpse. As the Stranger said, it turned too slowly to do any real damage. It's power was in its shocking appearance.

There was a heavy thud as the two reached the door.

_**;;Good luck, Moony.;;**_

In shock, Remus turned around.

Between Kingsley, the corpse, and the door, a huge silver/white dog with two tails stood, guarding it with his body.

Sirius looked back, wondering what had made Remus stop.

The majestic canine took his breath away.

_What are you?_

_**;;The last of my kind.;;**_ the Stranger's voice whispered, almost sadly. _**;;Now get going!;;**_

Swiftly, the two disappeared into the black portal and knew no more.


	15. Divantera

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Divantera

Remus groaned, pushing himself up into a kneeling position.

"What the hell?" he murmured quietly.

Sirius, forced out of his animagus form by the power of the dark portal, stirred beside him.

"Sirius, you alright?"

"Yeah…. No…I feel like I've been hit with a griffin."

The animagus sat up, holding his head.

"Well, he was right. We're in the Forbidden Forest."

"Wonder what the paddocks are for." Sirius murmured, closing one eye against the pounding in his skull.

""Holding nonhumans.""

"What?"

""The scent is almost two weeks old, but something that smells similar to the canine was once there.""

"Oh…."

""The school's nearby.""

Remus looked at Sirius. "The school's close. You want to go get this 'Bakura'?"

Sirius frowned. "You going to be okay?"

"I think so. I'd like a bath though."

Sirius chuckled and stood.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, promise."

Transforming into Padfoot was a bit more painful than normal, but soon the grim-like dog was disappearing into the Forest.

**TSW**

Yugi's eyes snapped open the second that Harry began to move closer to him.

"Something wrong, Harry?" he asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Sirius sent this to you with Hedwig."

The younger hikari handed him a slip of parchment. One side had someone's ripped homework, the other had his message.

_Yugi,_

_I need you, Yami, Ryou, and Bakura to meet me in the Room of Requirement As Soon As You Get This._

_Padfoot_

Yami appeared behind Yugi.

_//Something happened.//_

_/Yeah./_

_//I'll go wake those two up.//_

_/Meet you there, love./_

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"Not sure yet, Harry. I'll let you know when I find out."

Yugi got up and threw on the clothes he'd worn the day before.

Harry sat down on Yugi's bed, and watched the older man pause at the door.

"Don't think about it, Harry. Malik and I pushed you hard today and you've got class tomorrow."

Yugi walked out the door.

**TSW**

_**//Healer, Thief.//**_

Ryou was gently shoved aside.

"What, pharaoh?" Bakura asked, annoyed.

_**//Padfoot needs the four of us in the Room of Requirement.//**_

"Oh?"

_**//And no, we don't know why just yet.//**_

_**#We're ready when you are, Pharaoh.#**_ Ryou said sleepily.

_**##Speak for yourself.##**_

_**#I am. And my other half.#**_

_**//Let's go.//**_

Yami disappeared into the darkness and Bakura followed.

**TBWL**

Sirius paced the Room of Requirement impatiently. Every now and then he'd stop and look at the side of the room that he knew the Forbidden Forest to be on.

"You seem agitated, Padfoot."

Sirius jumped and spun around. Yugi was watching him through shadowed amethyst eyes.

"Yeah…."

"This had better be important, Black. I was having a pleasant dream."

"I'm sure, Bakura." Yami said dryly.

"What did you need help with Sirius?" Ryou asked, watching the convict.

"I was told by an old friend of Hunter's to ask for sanctuary."

"That's something serious for a human to ask for." Yami murmured.

Bakura walked around Sirius to look him in the eye. "By who?"

"I don't know. He didn't give him his name."

"How do you know he's trustworthy?"

"Can I explain later?" Sirius asked, agitatedly. His eyes continued to flicker towards the wall.

Yami followed his gaze, crimson eyes flashing. "Yugi."

Yugi glanced at him. "Werewolf."

"How did it get in?" Ryou asked.

"The wards let him in." Yugi answered with a shrug.

"He was probably a teacher." Bakura murmured.

"Yes and no." Yugi said quietly, walking over to the wall where the Alliance list was hidden. "He's part of the Alliance. See."

The wall moved aside, and there at the bottom of the list, Moony was written in Hogwarts' calligraphy script.

"I think someone's got some explaining to do." Bakura drawled.

"And quickly." Yami added.

**TSW**

_**//Guardian, wake up.//**_

Marik woke quickly to the familiar walls of his soul room, Yami's voice echoed around it.

_So he's not in the tower. _

_**--You need somethin' at two in the mornin', Pharaoh?--**_

_**//Yeah. There's a werewolf in the Forest. Bring him to the Room of Requirement with you.//**_

_**--Why couldn't this wait?--**_

_**//Because he's turning.//**_

_**--Into what?--**_

_**//A Lycan. He's a friend of Phoenix and Padfoot's that's asking for sanctuary from Thief.//**_

_**--Why can't you do it?--**_

_**//Padfoot's got a pretty nice story. And Bakura just left to contact Lady Light and Prince.//**_

Marik groaned and materialized beside Malik's bed.

_**--See you soon, Pharaoh.--**_

_**//Thank you.//**_

**TBWL**

Remus was much more aware of all his surroundings than he could ever remember being.

Moony was restless in his mind.

"Cat Lady's scent is here too. What was your Order doing, Remus? All the nonhuman scents-""

"What's wrong?"

"Feel like we're being watched.""

Remus looked around, warily.

"Yo."

Remus gasped, spinning around.

A young blond, no older than Harry, looked down at him from one of the trees.

"Who are you?"

"Tomb Guardian. Guardian for short. You asked a friend of mine for sanctuary."

Remus blinked, stepping backwards.

"You don't want to do that." Guardian smirked.

"What's your real name?"

"I can't tell you. Not until we're sure we can trust you. It's bad enough that you know Bakura's."

"You know Bakura?"

"He's taught me quite a bit." He held up a familiar wand. "Like outwitting werewolf senses…or Lycan, depending on the strain."

"What do you want?"

"Pharaoh asked me to bring you the Room of Requirement on my way over."

Guardian twirled Remus' wand between his fingers while pulling a solid gold rod from his pocket. "I'm sorry, but I need to bind your minds until someone tells me your safe for us."

Remus backed up further.

"I promise to release you if Lady or Prince can keep you from attacking our allies." Guardian smirked. "Good night."

Remus caught a flash of gold before he began watching everything from the back of his mind, bound and unable to get free.

**TSW**

Yami wasn't surprised when Marik showed up with Remus under the Rod's control. Even human, Remus was a danger as long as even a portion of the wolf was Lycan.

"It's for our safety, Sirius." Ryou explained when he caught a glimpse of the animagus' worried, betrayed expression as he looked the werewolf over for wounds. "There won't be any lasting damage and he's aware, able to see and hear everything."

"Want to tell me why you showed up in the Forbidden Forest at two AM?" Marik asked, glaring. _**--And no real names. Thief's the only one he knows.--**_

"They were sent through a portal. That's all he's telling." Yugi said with a sigh. "Said that he promised to keep the identity a secret."

Ryou frowned thoughtfully as he healed Remus' sprained ankle.

"Why did he ask for me?"

For the second time, Sirius jumped and turned around to look at the door.

Hunter's amber eyes, so alike yet different from Remus', met his coldly.

Sirius swallowed. "I-"

"You're sacred of me." She murmured. "You should be. I'm more of a danger to you than your Dark Lord." She sneered the title. "I'll ask again: why did your contact ask for me specifically?"

"I don't know." Sirius said, unable to look away from Hunter's unforgiving eyes.

"How do you know I won't kill you for such impudence?" she asked. "Asking for sanctuary from a Wielder is as rare as catching a star."

"He told us…to give you specifically, one word." Hunter growled and Sirius hurried to remember what the Stranger had told them.

"What is it?" Hunter asked, fingering the gun handle at her side.

"Divantera." Remus whispered, startling the group. "He told us to tell you, 'divantera'."

Hunter stiffened, eyes wide in horror as she was sucked into the past.

**TSW**

Ryou sighed. "She's out of it. Her mind is there but it's like with Pharaoh's memory tablet. She's remembering her past."

"What does divantera mean?" Draco asked, rubbing his chest.

He and Harry had felt a sharp jab of pain when Hunter had collapsed, as had all the Wielders.

"It directly translates to 'City of the Undead' in Hunter's language." Jess said quietly, head in her hands. "When Hunter was locked away, so were all her memories, just like Pharaoh's. Nothing here in this world triggered her memory, until the first time Bakura and Guardian took me to the Shadow Realm. Hunter and I were drawn into a memory of sorts.

_**Flashback:**_

_**Hunter faces off against the huge shadow-demon that is Zorc the Dark One.**_

_**Zorc's tail is forced through the back of a silver-white haired man, fangs glint in the flames behind Hunter, where her palace is burning to the ground, his mouth open in a silent scream of agony. Red/amber eyes wide in shock, pain, and a slight, almost unnoticeable glazed look.**_

"_**Kill him, Princess."**_

"_**I can't." Hunter whispered.**_

_**Zorc chuckled. "I never thought that you'd be the one to fall for my General, Princess." Hunter flinched. "But no matter. Catras, kill her."**_

_**Zorc retracted his dragon-like tail, and the demon smirked darkly at Hunter. "Yes, Master."**_

_**Hunter screamed as instincts beaten into her by her tutor took over. She wasn't even completely aware of what she was doing, but she knew what the end outcome would be. In seconds, Catras was kneeling before her, a knife in his stomach, his dual-bladed katana broken off to the side.**_

"_**You did good, Hunter." He whispered, turning pale as the angel's poison began to kill him. The Shadow Realm began to abandon Zorc, focusing on Hunter. "You have his power now…." He looked up at her, defiance blazing even as life began to disappear from them. "And you can beat him."**_

_**A single tear fell, and Hunter felt her body being taken away traveling through the Shadow Realm and away from her dying world.**_

_**End Flashback**_

"According to the others, we were out for half an hour. Hunter hasn't said a word about it and I won't ask." Jess whispered.

Draco frowned. "So, she's from this city?"

Bakura frowned thoughtfully. "It's possible."

"Don't push her, Bakura. Hunter is no longer under any obligations to tell us anything." Jess said, shifting her weight.

Malik opened his eye. "She's fallen into a coma. Her door is locked, while we can open it and release her mind, waking her up, for now, I recommend just leaving her." He said.

Harry looked over at them, frowning.

**TBWL**

"Leave her? Why would you do that?" Remus asked.

"The mind is tricky. If Hunter's retreated and locked herself in her soul room, she's trying to deal with whatever her memories showed her. Awaken her before she understands or even comes to terms with it, and she'll mentally deteriorate. It usually leads to suicide. And that's not something we're willing to risk." Pharaoh said.

"If you awaken her too late?" Sirius asked.

"She's a spirit while she sleeps. Nothing'll happen. If anything she'll get stronger the longer she's out, her powers building up." Bakura said.

There was silence for a while.

"Halloween's in a couple of weeks." Draco murmured.

Bakura raised a brow. "And?"

"And we need to have an Alliance meeting soon. Before the huge battle that you're all foreseeing." Draco said.

"Well, Remus and Sirius are here, they can help us now." Harry said. "Of course, Sirius can't be seen, so for now he may have to teach through Remus for a while."

Draco yawned. "Theo thinks he may have found a potion that awakens dormant telepathic abilities in witches and wizards." He said. "He wants to talk to Healer and find out if there's enough time to brew it."

Healer ignored the smirk he knew was on Bakura's face. "Not me, Bakura. He taught me how to brew."

Bakura shot Healer a dirty look. "Start spreading the word. When do you want to start training?"

"I can have a bunch of spells ready by the day after next." Harry said. "Most are second and third years. And I'm sure that by now the first years know."

Draco frowned. "We'll have to start from the beginning."

"It works though." Remus said. "A good portion of your year can't cast the Disarming Spell. Think of it as tutoring."

Draco smirked. "The inner circle can meet with us tomorrow-"

"Today." Sirius interrupted.

"Today." Draco said, rolling his eyes. "If we can teach them they can help us teach the others."

Harry smirked and stood. "We have classes guys. In an hour."

Draco looked horrified. "What?!"

Hikari snickered. "Priceless." He murmured. "I can see we're going to have fun for a long time."

Draco glared. "I blame you."

Lady blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you. You've kept us up all night!"

"You could've stayed in bed, you little brat! Nobody asked you to come up here!"

Draco snorted, giving her a superior look. "I've invested my time and loyalty in you. In need to make sure you stay alive."

Lady narrowed her eyes. "'Invested' huh? I'll give you 'invested'."

In seconds, Lady and Draco were sprinting around the room.

"She likes him." Pharaoh observed.

"Likes?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Yeah, she'd have him pinned to the wall by his shoulders while she shot his balls off if she didn't." Bakura grinned.

Guardian sighed. "I remember. Rex and Weevil couldn't walk for years." He said in a tone that said he was reminiscing about a more pleasant time.

He and Bakura sighed. "Good times, good times." They said together.

The others sweat dropped.

"I remember that too." Pharoah said. "It took four weeks to get their body fluids off the floor."

Harry, Remus, and Sirius made disgusted noises.

"Lady has some…extreme tendencies." Healer murmured.

"Oi! Stop running!" Hikari yelled.

Draco and Lady skid to a halt beside the fireplace.

"We have an hour. We need to sleep. Or go without breakfast." Hikari said, looking pointedly at Lady. "And we both know that you and Harry can't afford to miss it, Draco."

Draco nodded slowly.

"Bed. Now." Healer ordered sternly, pointing out the door.

Sirius transformed and followed Harry to Gryffindor Tower.

Draco snickered as he followed.

**TBWL**

As soon as the door closed, the playful atmosphere in the room disappeared.

"I apologize Remus, but I have to knock you out and you'll sleep until lunch." Pharaoh said.

Remus frowned, the tension in the room could have blocked a rampaging rhino. "Of course, I understand." He said.

He felt 'fingers' touching his mind and his world went black.

**TSW**

The room was silent for a few minutes after Remus was laid on the large bed in the room.

Finally, Jess stood and began to pace.

"This isn't working. We're running out of time and Harry and Draco haven't gotten nearly as far as they should have. They've made wonderful progress, yes, but when Yule arrives, they'll still be unprepared."

Yami sighed. "You think we don't know this?" he asked. "We already work them as hard as we can for their age, even pushing the limit at times."

"We need to push them harder." Malik agreed. "And fast, but we can't _kill_ them in the process."

"No." Marik said. "If we push them any farther, they'll crack."

"So far, what are they doing?" Jess asked.

"Training, running the Alliance, worrying, going to class, doing homework, researching the dragon, dealing with Snape."

Yugi shook his head.

"That's too much work." Ryou whispered.

"We'll divide it up." Jess said. "Remus and Sirius can deal with the Alliance, even help with the homework. I'll take care of Snape before I leave. Ryou, you'll need to research the dragon for them. Obviously, the training, class work, and homework _has_ to be done by them, the Elementals may have entered the war directly, if nothing else, Blaise can do more now, than he could before, so long as it pertains to investigating a possible link between his father and Zorc. Or, obviously, if it involves demons of any type, standing, or Lord loyalty."

"Like?" Malik asked.

"Anubis and Akhnadin both disappeared from the forest, but the demons Dumbledore had, didn't. Which means that someone has taken them in. Perhaps he can find out who." Jess paused. "Who are Harry and Draco worried about?"

"Draco's probably most worried about his father. Recently, however, something else has been bothering him and he won't talk about it." Malik said, frowning slightly.

"Harry." Yami said.

"Huh?"

"Draco's worried about Harry in a way." Yami explained. "I've watched them and the way that their bonds have changed. Both boys are worried about rejection. Without the animosity, I think they're finally actually _seeing_ each other. We know that Draco's got more to lose if Harry rejects him and he knows it. He's been labeled a 'dark wizard' and he's letting it go to his head that he's not good enough."

Jess raised a brow. "Was I ever a teenager?" she asked. Bakura coughed loudly. "Don't get involved until you have to, and I mean it, Yugi." She looked seriously at her friend. "Keep up the training. I've got a meeting with Severus Snape."

Her eyes frosted over and she was gone.

**TBWL**

Severus woke with a start.

"What the-"

"Silence, Severus Snape." A voice hissed. "Do not speak until I'm through."

Severus tugged on the black chains. They tightened painfully.

"Don't move."

"Who are you?"

"I said silence!"

A glint was the only warning he had before the silver dagger embedded itself in his thigh.

There was a flicker far above him and Severus saw thousands of knives all pointed at him.

He could finally see the room he was in as well. The walls were painted a dark color, indistinguishable because the lighting was a blood red. There were no windows and he couldn't see a door.

_How did I get in here?_

"The only way out is through the walls themselves."

A woman, she looked no older than 27 years old, long black hair, curling slightly on the side of her cheeks.

"My master continues to ask about you, Severus Snape. He wants to know how a mere mortal was able to trick his son." The woman sneered.

"_**They were killed by someone I now know has some type of contact with Voldemort." **__Mouto knew. He knew there was someone more powerful out there. He was trying to warn us._

The woman smirked, revealing a fang. "Rumor has it that the Cruciatus Curse feels like a thousand knives being pressed all at once into your body. This is a spell, called A Hundred Thousand Knives. It took me years to adapt it to the Thousand Knives spell card, but I think I've done pretty good. Shall we test them, Severus?"

A flicker of fear was ruthlessly shoved aside. "What do you-"

Another knife.

"I said quiet. All I want from you is your pain."

All at once, three thousand knives flew at him.

**TSW**

Jess walked into Snape's empty office and frowned. Lowering the dark hood, she walked over to the desk.

_To whom it may concern-_

Jess' eyes narrowed on the paper, moving into the torch lit hallway.

_To whom it may concern,_

_Professor Severus Snape has gotten involved with the wrong people. By the time you read this, his suffering will have begun. Notify his next of kin and warn them that the traitor's rotting corpse will be dropped in front of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mr. Snape's current place of employment._

_Sincerely,_

_Assassin_

_P.S. Consider this a warning, Albus Dumbledore, you have no idea what you're dealing with._

Jess made a disgusted sound.

She was familiar with Assassin's work.

The woman was Zorc's most trusted killer. She was efficient, creative, and loyal.

She had once worked for DAO, the same organization the leader of the Elementals had escaped from, which made her chosen alliance all the odder.

Grabbing the paper, Jess fled from the room, the air crackling ominously in her wake.

**TBWL**

Draco sat up sharply. Someone had just entered the room and instincts Bakura had beaten into him had him reaching for the dragon-handled dagger his father had given him for his thirteenth birthday, tugging it free of its sheath.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"Wake up, young dragon." An aged voice hissed.

"Who are you?"

A distorted clown staggered into the dim candle light.

"I am Peten. Loyal follower of the High Priest of Egypt."

_High Priest? Like Yami's cousin?_

"Master Seth left me behind to give this to the Dragon."

A hand, flickering, extended outward.

"Mokuba Kaiba was a seer of sorts. He gave his brother instructions to make a Dragon Deck, Seto Kaiba spent over ten thousand US dollars on creating this and another weapon for his heir."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Peten took another shuffling step forward. "Mokuba Kaiba foresaw that you and Harry Potter would need assistance. Without Kaiba Corp., the Wielders haven't had the access they once did. So Seto Kaiba left his entire corporation to you and your family, with Maximillion Pegasus and the Pharaoh as your co owners. When you reach your second birthday after Zorc the Dark One dies, the three of you will take over and use his company to rebuild the world to the way it was."

Draco frowned. "But I know nothing about that company."

"Pegasus and the Pharaoh do. They will help you."

Draco looked at the object in Peten's slightly rotted hand. "Why do you look like that?" he asked.

"Time. For twelve years I've wandered. A shadow creature doesn't belong in your world." Peten answered. "You must protect the Queen and her brother."

"Huh?"

"Hunter had one brother. Younger than her by several years, that died in the palace fire. He has risen from the ashes, as Harry Potter. The Shadow Phoenix. You shall use this and the Sword of the Silver Dragon. That, however, you must find on your own."

Draco frowned. "Wait, where should I start?"

Peten smiled, the sight caused the rotted face to crumble a bit more, the pieces disappearing in wisps of shadows.

"Only you know that. Will you take Master Seth's gift?"

Slowly, Draco reached for the small rectangular case. The second it left Peten's hand, the clown began to disappear.

"Good luck, Master Dragon."

For some reason, Draco felt a pang of sorrow in his chest as he snapped open the case.

Inside was a standard forty card Duel Monster's deck. Pulling it out, he flipped the deck over to look at the card.

The Black Chaos Magician looked up at him.

**TSW**

Jess blew the statue outside of the Headmaster's office to the ground.

Yami and Bakura winced behind her.

_**//I think she's pissed.//**_

_**##Yeah. Think she's got a soft spot for Serpentine, Pharaoh.##**_

'_**Stop, we've got things to do.'**_

_**//Yes, ma'am.//**_ Yami smirked.

_#Yami, we're going to miss breakfast.#_

_##Snape's in danger and you want to eat?##_

_#Like you give a damn.#_

_##Just wondering what's going on with my loving, caring hikari.##_

_#He's in bed.#_

_##Tired?##_

_#Exhausted. I think we as a whole are getting spoiled here at Hogwarts.#_

_##Just sleep. Be awake for lunch so I can talk with Lupin.##_

_#Knew there was a reason I fell for you.#_

_##Love you, too.##_ Bakura drawled. He heard Ryou laugh sleepily and faded back into his soul room to sleep.

He came back to see Jess blow off Dumbledore's door, the object crashing to the ground.

"Hello, Albus." Yami said, his smirk widening.

**TBWL**

Albus' magic lashed out violently at the intruders.

It was knocked aside so effortlessly by Thief that Albus fell back in shock.

"Kindly don't attack us. We're here to threaten, possibly kidnap, and warn. I really don't want to fight to kill." Pharaoh drawled.

"Besides," the only unidentified Wielder sneered. "You're missing professor is a tad more important."

A flick of her wrist, and a slip of parchment landed on the floor at Albus' feet.

"Pick it up, Albus." Pharaoh commanded. "See the fruits of your manipulations."

Minerva frowned, reaching for her wand.

It wasn't there.

"You should know better, McGonagall." Thief sneered.

"There's always more of us than you think." Someone hissed in her ear.

The black, hooded figure stepped back.

"As of now, you don't move, I don't kill you. Any moves you make must go through us." The female ordered. "Serpentine was one of our allies. Now he's with a young woman who will drop him here when she's through with him."

"Now, now. No need to be so hostile." Albus attempted to soothe. "Would you like some tea? You can explain this in more detail."

Pharaoh tensed and Albus realized that he'd just made a mistake by not taking the girl more seriously.

"Hey." Thief barked, his voice thicker, harsher than normal. "He's a fool, Lady, we already knew that, but you can't deny he'd make a wonderful diversion, da?"

Pharaoh seemed to smirk at Albus' fortune.

"You're playing with fire you fucking old man. I assure you, when Severus returns, he won't be working for you again." Lady sneered. "Make such a mistake again, and you'll find yourself in a shark tank."

She turned and left, Thief, Pharaoh, and the other figure following, Minerva's wand was dropped at her feet.

"Albus?" she asked shakily.

Albus frowned at the door. "I think we may be in over our heads."

"What are we going to do, professor?" Nymphadora whispered stiffly.

"…I don't think we've got a choice. We need to begin training Harry. He's not going to just sit still and wait if Pharaoh's information is good and Voldemort does attack on Christmas…."

"We could sent him to Grimmauld Place for the holidays." Minerva objected.

"No, they know where it is now. We can't afford to let them get their hands on him."

"I'm beginning to think the others are right." Nymphadora growled.

"About what, Nymphadora?" Alastor asked gruffly.

"You treat him like a child. He's been through more than us, Albus!" she stood. "I wish I knew where Remus and Sirius were. They'd talk you out of this. Hell, _Snape_ would talk you out of it!"

Albus winced minutely as the door slammed shut behind her.

**TBWL**

Nymphadora Tonks stormed down the hallway.

A shadow leaned against the wall.

"**Do you speak Italian?"**

Tonks searched for words her mother'd taught her when she was young.

"**A fair bit. Who are you?"**

The boy chuckled. **"Blaise Zabini. I'm a contact for people like the Wielders."**

"**Zabini? Black Widow?"**

"**My mother."**

Tonks looked at the shadow, trying to discern any details. She found none.

"**What do you want?"** she asked curiously.

"**Wanted to know why you're looking for Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Nymphadora."**

Tonks growled.

"**You really hate that name, don't you."** Blaise snickered.

"**I do. Now, what do you know about Sirius and Remus?"** Tonks asked.

Blaise opened his mouth to answer, before he winced and the language changed. **"Pharaoh."**

A figure slipped into the hallway, and a deep voice spoke in Egyptian, a language that, thanks to Bill Weasley, some of the younger Order members could understand, if not speak a bit of. Learning meaningless things kept their minds off the death and destruction that came with the war.

"**What are you doing, Zabini?"**

"**N-Not much, Pharaoh. Just talking."**

"**You're busted Zabini. And any mental battle with me, you lose. Walk away, Tonks. This is a private conversation."**

The last thing Tonks saw, was a glowing gold eye illuminating angered crimson.

**TSW**

"What the hell is wrong with you, Blaise?"

Blaise glared at the pharaoh. "Not a thing. I'm doing my job, Yami. I can't necessarily say the same about the same for you."

Yami's eyes narrowed viciously, Blaise seemed to ignore it.

"You've spent seven weeks doing nothing more than train. There's more going on than that!" he sneered. "I'd heard stories about the Wielders since I was a child, but you don't seem to be at all like them."

Yami closed his eyes, desperate for any shred of his control, to keep himself as sane as possible for as long as possible. To keep himself from attacking the Elemental. "Blaise. You've been misinformed."

Blaise blinked. "Huh?"

"The Wielders are in no way the white knights you'd heard in the stories. The only reason we're helping these mortals is because we have a common enemy. We'd turn on them in a heart beat. As Bakura, and even your own teammate, have said, humans are weak. They can't do anything. Humans _need_ us. Not vice versa."

Blaise backed away.

"The Wielders have only two Alliances. To one another and to the Elementals . We're using them as we see fit for this war, and then they're on their own. We're training Harry and Draco, focusing on them, because they're all we really need. Get off your pedestal, you'd be just as jaded as we are if you'd been through what we are on a daily basis." Yami sneered.

Blaise watched as the pharaoh walked away, leaving him confused. He slid down the wall, looking at stone floor.

"What's going on?"

Blaise winced and looked sharply at Theo.

"I think something's wrong." Blaise whispered. "Completely and horribly wrong."

* * *

Cerberus: First things first: I hope everyone had a kickass holiday(whatever you may celebrate) and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Now: I am more than aware that my updates have been sporiadic at best the past few chapters. That is because I'm losing my drive for this story. Not that I'm losing inspiration for it, or have any intention of discontinuing it, but I've recently gotten inspiration for the next Harry Potter and the Guardian Series(the third Harry Potter book), and personally, I like the way this one is coming out better than the previous two(but hey, I'm writing it, I'm biased). The way this is going, it is extremely unlikely that there will be too much more being written out for the Shadow Wielders in the next few months.

I _do_ have up to Chapter 25 written, and will continue to post them as I find the time to edit them, type them out, and reread them to catch the last of my spelling issues(I'm anal about it and get very upset when I go back and find that I missed 12 or so mistakes GRR!), but after Chapter 25, things may slow down, or even come to a complete stop for a while.

In addition, what inspiration I do have for this story, comes far, far into the future, and I haven't found a way to bridge the gap yet.

I beg you, to stick with me and try and be patient.


	16. A Trip to the Dark Side

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

A Trip to the Dark Side

Yugi watched sadly from his soul room. No matter how many times he saw it, he never got used to it, nor did he want to.

Yami's darkness, awakened for two weeks The two weeks that Yami'd first been awakened from his 5000 year slumber and set free on the world, uncontrolled in any way.

Bakura and Marik, while not nearly as vicious as Yami, were uncontrollable because of this. More times than not, Yami'd join the two in their hell raising.

Yugi looked at the flashing numbers on his calendar.

October 20.

The beginning of two weeks of his own personal hell.

_Yami_.

**TBWL**

Draco glared viciously at the door, willing it open.

_:Not a chance, Draco.:_

_::Potter, let me out or I'll filet you.::_

_:Not a chance, Draco.:_

_::Potter, if you don't open this fucking door!::_

:No. You're turning back all the progress we've made by snapping at people. You made that first year cry_, Draco. Whatever's wrong with you, figure it out. We've got a meeting tomorrow after class.:_

There was the sound of a door slamming, echoing in his mind.

_:POTTER!!:_

Draco growled.

**TBWL**

Harry knew it was rude.

He knew it was probably the worst possible way to deal with Draco's moodiness, but it was the only way he could think of without asking the others for help.

With a sigh, he turned back to the chess match with Remus, privately thanking Sirius for the Locking Spell.

**TSW**

Ryou was gently shoved aside when Yami walked into the room.

They'd learned quickly that during Yami's darkness period, it was easier to deal with if Bakura and Marik took control to prevent protective spats.

The thief and pharaoh eyed one another for almost ten minutes before Yami smirked and left.

Ryou fell back onto his bed.

_#What's with him? He's a lot happier than normal.#_

_##He's probably already causing trouble.##_

_#...Are you going after him?#_

_##Yeah.##_

_#Be careful.#_

_##Of course, love.##_

Ryou closed his eyes, closing the door to the outside world. He had lessons to plan.

**TBWL**

Tuesday morning, a slight hitch appeared in their plans for the afternoon.

Umbridge introduced another decree.

She was now searching the school for the Death Eater, Severus Snape. Every one was to spend the day in the Great Hall while the Aurors searched the grounds. Everyone was to be ready for any random searches in the future.

Harry felt Yugi flinch beside him.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"Yami's not in the best of moods this week. I _need_ to see Bakura and Marik." Yugi whispered back.

"Why?"

"Because it's safer this way." He murmured, looking at Ryou and Malik.

Dumbledore stood as Umbridge sat down.

"It has come to my attention that these tables no longer apply to our school." He said, his blue eyes twinkling.

Harry's eyes narrowed. _What's he doing now?_

"So, when you come in tomorrow morning, we shall have a change in decoration."

Yugi swallowed his relieved sigh.

**TBWL**

Severus had never known this much pain.

When he'd 'spent time' with Thief, the pain had been made bearable by Healer's touch.

This woman left him to bleed, bound to walls she walked through like they didn't even exist.

Hanging in the precarious balance between sanity and insanity, _she _appeared in his mind.

**TSW**

Jess waited patiently until Serpentine passed out again. She kept her focus on his near fractured mind.

The light dimmed around her, signaling that Serpentine was giving up on consciousness.

'_**Stay with me, Serpentine, I need your help.'**_ She soothed.

**TBWL**

'_**Stay with me, Serpentine, I need your help.'**_

Severus twitched.

_Helping people is what got me here._

'_**Serpentine. The Old One won't help you. He has forsaken you. But the Wielders haven't. We're aware of how much you've helped us and can help us in the future. We're willing to pay you back, but to do that, you've got to do something for me.'**_

_What should I do?_

'_**Will you let me ask my questions? You don't have to answer any of them.'**_

_Tell me why._

'_**We're looking for you. We just don't know **_**what **_**to look for. I'm going to pull you into your mind. You won't feel anything and at anytime you can return. Together you and I are going to compile a list of things that can help us find you.'**_

Severus swallowed. What did he have to lose?

_Alright._

**TSW**

Jess smiled to herself. _**'Brace yourself, Serpentine.'**_

She grabbed his failing consciousness and tugged, she searched through Snape's mind, dodging his shattering barriers and turned the 'door knob' on his soul room door.

'_**You with me, Serpentine?'**_

**TBWL**

Severus, dizzy from the flying sensation, took a moment to collect himself.

"Yes." He blinked.

'_**Your soul has given your mind a place to rest. I unlocked it for you. Welcome to your soul room.'**_

Severus looked around. The room was dim, with very few windows and even fewer lights. Books lined the walls, the shelves graced with some of the rarest Potions books imaginable. Off to one side, a small, but comfortable looking cot called to him.

The windows looked outside to a peaceful, warm day in the countryside, but he knew that it wasn't what the current outdoor environment looked like. A place this peaceful, couldn't be found now a days.

Turning, Severus looked at his savior.

She lacked the cloak, but at first glance he could tell she was a Wielder. Dressed to the nines in black leather. A pair of fingerless gloves half stuck out of her pocket.

"Who are you?"

'_**Lady Light. Call me Lady, it's easier to remember.'**_

"What's your real name?"

'_**I can't tell you through these means. Anyone can tap it, or a random station may pick it up.'**_

Severus looked her over once more. "How easy is it to get to this place?"

'_**Normally, quite difficult, you can plant traps, barriers, illusions. Now, though, your mind is too fractured. As it heals, you can block it off using Occlumency too. It's become your safe haven. No one can physically touch you here.'**_

"What do you want?"

'_**Just information, and then I want you to rest up. Assassin's not someone to take lightly.'**_

"I noticed." Severus drawled, sitting stiffly on the bed, watching the floor flash red, rapidly.

'_**It shows that your body is in pain.'**_ Lady said quietly, leaning against the door frame.

"Start asking your questions."

Lady smiled. _**'Alright. Any doors or windows?'**_

"None. She said the only way in or out was through the wall."

'_**Can you see the ceiling?'**_

Severus thought for a moment, picturing the room.

"Part of it. The middle is shadowed."

Lady looked thoughtful. _**'Probably a tower. Assassin is a Dark Summoner, it wouldn't be difficult for her to learn how to phase…. Has she said anything?'**_

"Not much. She boasts about how she's perfected each technique before she uses it."

'_**Alright.'**_ Lady whispered. _**'Get some rest Serpentine. Expect help soon.'**_

The teenager flashed from the room.

**TSW**

Jess' eyes snapped open.

Zane looked at her. "Alright, love?"

Jess shuddered. "His mind is almost shattered. And his soul room is one of the coldest I've ever seen. Fourth to Yami, Bakura, and Marik's. _Dorian's_ is warmer."

Zane winced. "That's not good."

"It means that getting his trust won't be easy." Shadi commented thoughtfully.

"There was one thing that stood out." Jess said quietly.

"Oh?"

"A picture of Lily Evans Potter was on the door."

There was silence for a moment.

"Did you get the information, Ms. Jess?" Odion asked, looking up from the records of unfamiliar properties, a huge map of the world, laminated, was over the extremely large table.

"Yeah. A windowless, doorless, stone tower. Not too tall, he could see the edges of the roof."

"The satellites took pictures of twelve towers in the past week. Only three don't fit the description." Odion reported.

"That leaves us with nine." Jess pondered. "There's only four of us to search them."

Zane shrugged. "We have to have someone here to watch the machines at all times, so that leaves three for each of the searchers."

"I shall stay behind, Lord Zane. I have no ability to walk through walls as you three do." Odion said.

Zane, Shadi, and Jess nodded slowly.

"Alright. This could still take a while. While getting to them and searching them will be easy, the amount of energy it will take just for traveling may be extremely high. The towers are spread all over the world."

"We have less then a month." Jess said. "We get a couple of hours of sleep and leave. I want this mission of ours to last less than the time it takes for Yami to return to his saner personality."

**TSW**

Yami's smirk could only be described as dark.

Bakura wasn't worried. He'd get worried when it turned bloodthirsty. That would be the problem, as a crazy, bloodthirsty pharaoh was unfamiliar, unpredictable, and nine times worse than Bakura and Marik combined.

Around him, he was vaguely aware of the inner circle watching. Ryou's mind brushed his reassuringly, Marik was ready to interfere if it got to bad.

"Let's begin, Thief King." Yami murmured, springing.

Bakura winced.

_#He's gotten faster.##_

_#He's been training hard for the final battle.#_

_##Should make things interesting.##_

Yami took every blow Bakura gave, panting, but moving.

At some point, a knife had entered the fight, but neither was sure who pulled it, it changed hands that often.

Marik winced when Bakura stumbled, just barely dodging the knife in one hand and the claws on the other.

"This isn't good. He's gotten worse." Yugi whispered worriedly. "And we're only two days into his Dark Period."

Draco watched moodily from the couch, where Yami had cheerfully handcuffed him to a chair and set up a 'penalty game'. Every time he spoke angrily, he'd get shocked.

"What's with him anyway?" he asked.

"Yami's the only one who wasn't awakened normally. His conscious is split, hence that he gets kinder than Marik and Bakura most times."

"That's why he said humans were animals yesterday." Blaise realized.

Yugi nodded, wincing as Yami was stabbed in the shoulder. "For the next two weeks, he truly believes that."

"Dammit." Ryou murmured.

Yugi looked back at the fight. The look in Yami's eyes had changed.

_/Yami! Stop!/_

_//Butt out, aibou.//_

_/YAMI!!/_

"Marik!" Malik called.

Marik and Malik broke the seal keeping the Shadow Magic contained, as they moved to pull Yami off of Bakura.

The thief had managed to get one wrist between Yami's forearm and his throat, but bloodloss and no air prevented him from doing much more with it.

"Yami." Marik hissed. "Reign in that temper of yours, pharaoh. Children and hikaris are present."

Yami growled audibly, annoyed at the interference.

Yugi's magic tugged on his, beginning the lethal process of draining Yami's magic, piling it into a 'ball' and waiting.

Bakura pushed upwards with the wrist pinned to his neck as he felt Yami putting more and more pressure than necessary .

Yami, thrown off balance by the thrust and weakened from the magic drain, was tugged backwards by Marik and Malik and staggered against them.

Ryou wrapped an arm around Yugi's shaking shoulders and sighed. "He's getting ridiculous." He whispered.

"Do you do this all the time?" Pansy asked, horrified.

"Not really, once or twice. But it never gets easier to drain a loved one's magic. If you take too much, they die." Ryou said, before turning back to comforting his friend.

**TBWL**

Severus woke screaming.

"So the snake awakens, eh?" Assassin grinned.

The electricity coursing through his body was cut off.

Immediately, Severus wished he was back in the other room, the comfortably silent one.

"Master says that I need to stop screwing around and let him see you. So, I shall take you to see my Master." Assassin smirked.

Severus swallowed, and for once in his life began to pray that help came soon.

**TSW**

Jess jumped backwards, away from the arrows that were shot at her.

_Dammit._ She thought. _They're trying to confuse us. Two out of three are guarded by Ghouls and Death Eaters._

With a snarl, she disappeared into the darkness.

**TSW**

Shadi phased through the sword with a frown.

'_**Shadi, Zane, fall back once you've checked all three out.'**_

Shadi disappeared from the grounds.

**TSW**

Zane walked calmly through the door.

"Problems have arisen, hm?"

"Yeah." Jess muttered, wincing as the disinfectant was applied to the knick on her arm. "A few of the towers are unnecessarily guarded." She said, looking up at Zane as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, watching Odion like a hawk.

"Two of Jess', one of mine." Shadi said, looking at the x's on the map.

"None of mine." Zane said with a frown. "So it's one of the three guarded ones. We need more to narrow it down." He bit back a growl when Odion tightened the bandage and Jess winced.

"I'll ask for more information after lunch." Jess said distantly. "Thanks, Odion."

**TBWL**

Severus stood stock still as the Death Eaters made him 'presentable', which involved the wounds being cleaned and water being repeatedly thrown on his body.

He was surprised by the gentle tugging, followed by the world fading around him. He was in the room again. Lady stood at the door.

'_**You look stressed, Serpentine.'**_ She observed.

"What's wrong?"

'_**We've narrowed down your location to three places, all of them guarded. We can't just attack all of them, so we need to narrow it down further.'**_

"How long will it take?"

'_**Depends on the information. Serpentine, I need to know **_**anything**_** about where you are.'**_

"…it's a circle…has access to electricity and can still use magic." Lady's eyes widened. "You know where it is?"

'_**I might. I need to check.'**_ She looked him over. _**'What happened to you?'**_

"Your friend is taking me to see her master."

'_**Shit.'**_ Lady swore. _**'We need to get to you. ASAP.'**_

"And how are you going to do that?"

'_**I may have an idea. For it to work, you'll need to stay here, with the door closed. Someone will inhabit your body until we can get to you. There may be some …side effects. The main point is that we can't let you face the Dark One.'**_

"Do you have a person in mind?"

'_**Yes. But you can NOT talk to him.'**_

"Oh?"

'_**Serpentine, this is important. Do. Not. Talk. To. Him. Dorian isn't safe. He'll know your there, but his main enemy isn't humans, it's the Dark One. Don't draw attention to yourself, please.'**_

Severus sighed. "Alright."

'_**Serpentine, lock this door. Do you need me to tell you how?'**_

"No."

'_**Stay safe, Serpentine.'**_

**TSW**

"Zane!"

Zane sat up sharply. "Yeah?"

Jess all but ran into the room. "We need to move. Now. Dorian's taking a trip to Snape's mind."

Zane could _feel_ Dorian's pleasure.

""Really now?""

"Wait."

""Why should I? Your girl says I'm leaving.""  


"Trip implies that you're returning as well."

"Are you sure about this, Jess?"

"Assassin's taking him to see Zorc. I need someone there to buy us some time."

""I'm going. Zorc owes me blood.""

"If you go, you will get out or I'll pull you back so hard, my father'll feel it."

Dorian laughed. ""You are a fool, Zane.""

"You better have a back up plan, Jess, in case this goes wrong."

"We'll see. Now, come on."

**TSW**

Jess' eyes glowed unnaturally beneath the hood.

Shadi slid silently through the darkness.

_Showtime._ She murmured to herself.

The Shadow Realm spread from her fingertips, racing behind her like a mist as she ran.

**TSW**

Dorian's sight, despite the different body, hadn't been lessened. Completely shoving Severus' conscious aside, he took over everything.

Motor functions, strength, senses. Everything was enhanced.

And everything was his.

A smirk darkened Snape's face, more dangerous even than the man himself.

Dorian had a bone to pick with Zorc the Dark One.

Blood would be spilt.

Fangs glinted in the flames that lit the grounds.

A victorious, bloodthirsty howl tore from his throat.

**TBWL**

Bellatrix Lestrange wasn't surprised to finally see Snape fighting back. She had always admired the man for his ruthlessness.

But the way he fought now was brutal.

It was nothing short of demonic.

She shot off another killing curse as she dodged a limb torn from someone stupid enough to get close to him.

Blood stained torn, dark clothing.

Intestines littered the ground like wet, meaty, blood stained stones.

Her lord would not be happy.

**TSW**

Dorian eyed the final three Death Eaters, flexing his fingers and wishing for Zane's more satisfying claws.

Grinning he bit his tongue, licking the back of his hand, which he'd used to knock aside a cutting curse.

"Mixing blood, vampire?" a voice hissed.

"Indeed." Dorian smirked. He could feel Severus Snape's mind shutting down within the 'safety' of his soul room.

Turning.

Jess was between him and Assassin and he growled before he even realized she was there.

"Get out of the way, Light."

He screamed out his anger when the bitch bound him in the Shadow Realm, forcing him out of the body.

**TBWL**

Remus was roughly shaken awake by Sirius on Tuesday night.

"Geez, Remy, you've been asleep all day. How much sleep have you been getting?"

"Not enough." Remus muttered. "Not nearly enough."

Sirius frowned. "You or Moony?" he asked.

"Me." Remus yawned. "Moony sleeps like the dead except for on the full moon." He eyed his friend. "Did you want something, Sirius?"

"Yeah, I brought you food while the others practice." Sirius answered, gesturing to the food. "Pharaoh is out of it and Hikari didn't go to dinner. Not to mention that Umbridge had everyone stay in the Great Hall all day. Snape went missing last night."

Remus sat up. "Were you seen?"

Sirius looked slightly insulted. "I _am_ a Maraurder, Remy. I can stay out of sight."

Remus smiled slightly. "I know. Maybe I'm just paranoid."

Sirius sighed and leaned against the headboard. "I guess we have reason to be. Werewolves, convicts, Wielders, students. And the Ministry is against us all."

Remus sighed. "Everyone's against us. It seems that the only allies we've got are the Wielders, and they don't even trust us with their names…."

"The Wielders have allies too, Remy. We're sure of it."

"We? Sirius, you seem to know more than I do."

Sirius smiled slightly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I'm bound from saying anything, Remus. Or you'd know everything."

Remus sighed. "I guess I'm not surprised. They seem like a cautious group."

"They have to be. Their enemy is just about everywhere." Sirius murmured.

**TSW**

Jess hissed, skin burning under 'Assassin's' touch.

"Welcome to the fire, princess."

"Fuck you." Jess grinned. "You've got no idea how much I'm enjoying this fight."

'Assassin' chuckled. "You're allies are that boring, ne? You're obviously on the wrong side."

"**That's enough, Assassin."** Someone growled from the darkness.

Jess stiffened. "Zorc."

"**It has been far too long, my dear. How is your other?"**

"She's fine." Jess bit out.

"**Oh? Prince's memories state otherwise."**

Jess' body was suddenly pulsing with pain. "What have you done?!"

"**Your mate has switched sides, Lady. A…most wise choice."**

Jess trembled in suppressed hatred. **"I'll kill you."** She swore in a language long forgotten save for the two of them. **"I swear I'll kill you, Zorc."**

Zorc chuckled. **"I do look forward to it, princess."**

**TSW**

Yami found himself back in full control a week and five days before normal, weak and gasping just for the breath to live.

Bakura frowned. "Yami?"

Yami winced. "K-Kura-"

Bakura turned on Yugi. "Yugi, give it back. All of it!"

Yugi complied immediately.

"What the hell's going on?" Nott asked.

"He's back in control early. Yugi drained his magic and without the darkness, he's too weak to stand it." Marik explained quietly.

Bakura gasped sharply, almost folding under the pain.

"What the hell…." Malik whispered, catching the thief's shoulder to keep him on his feet.

"Jess…she's draining for power. Without Hunter, _we're_ her source of power." Yami forced out, his voice rough from pain and weakness.

"Of course. You two would be first." Ryou said, kneeling beside Yami, checking for muscle deterioration. "You had the most dark magic at that moment and Bakura's closest to her."

"It does make sense…." Yugi's unspoken worry hung in the air. "He'll be fine, Yugi. He's getting stronger already." Ryou reassured.

"Hey guys…the only reason Jess would be draining this fast is if she was up against…."

Yami and the others disappeared so fast that those left behind were unable to see the stars in the sky above them.


	17. Zane's Betrayal

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Zane's Betrayal

It took twenty minutes to pull Jess away from the dead clone. Even longer to bind the dark magic to her body.

In the end, the Wielders didn't return to Hogwarts for more than two hours.

Shadi was found unconscious beside Snape, his shadow magic drained almost to the point of death.

Snape himself was unaware that any of this was happening. Dorian's blood had changed him. He had entered one of the four positive stages of the Turning. In the simplest of terms, Severus Snape had entered a demonic coma.

The risk in all Turnings, was that although they could start out positive, at any time, something could go wrong and he could take a turn towards any of the three negative stages since his sire was currently locked away in the Shadow Realm.

Jess hadn't spoken to any of the Wielders except to tell them that they couldn't go home. So now, there were seven people hiding right under Dumbledore's nose, not including the four yamis.

Marik and Malik had gone to check on the house, returning angry, worried, and depressed when they returned two days later.

**TSW**

"What did you find?" Remus asked, stopping his attempts at getting Jess to eat something.

"Everything's destroyed. Priest's machines, windows, walls, rooms. It's obvious that the house was found and hit. Hard."

"Prince and Odion?" Ryou asked nervously.

"Gone." Malik hissed. "They're both gone. The house is empty, Prince's blood is all over his meditation chamber."

Yami glanced at Bakura. The thief's eyes were glued to Jess' back. "It explains certain things. And we can probably piece the events that led up to the attack on the house without Lady's help."

"I wonder what happened to Dorian though. He of all people would fight to the death before allowing himself to be caught by anyone with connections to the Dark One." Malik whispered.

"If he was in his meditation chamber, its possible that he was projecting Dorian. It would make Prince weaker and Odion wouldn't stand a chance if a Dark Summoner called." Yami responded.

"Are you sure that it's Prince's blood?" Bakura asked.

"No. It's impossible to get into the room itself to get a better look at things since the wards wouldn't allow anyone else in."

"It's Odion's blood." Jess whispered brokenly. "And my mate spilled it."

"Why would he do that?" Marik asked, a touch of desperate anger in his voice. "Why would he attack an ally?"

"He wouldn't." Yami said sharply. "Not if he was in his right mind."

"He had to have been. Dorian prevents-" Yugi trailed off, eyes wide in understanding horror.

"Dorian's in the Shadow Realm. I bound him there and would've sent him back, if Prince hadn't been taken."

Magic rushed through the room, shaking the foundations of the Room of Requirement.

Shadi's breathing relaxed, Yami twitched and Bakura frowned at the amount of magic he and Marik received back after the Drain.

"Wha-"

"I can't afford a Dark Pharaoh running around. I'm in no shape to be fighting. It's on a timer of sorts. Midnight on the third, Yami'll get his magic back. Please try to deal with it, 'kura-sama." Jess whispered, before she closed her eyes and turned her back on all of them.

Bakura watched her in silence, half-stunned, half-worried at the reappearance of the child-like nickname he hadn't heard in years.

And slowly, Jess drifted into misery.

**TBWL**

Harry and Draco, the two who knew Zane the least, were given the task of running the Alliance training.

In the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Theodore, and Pansy, the majority of the Hogwarts Inner Circle, decided that it was a good idea and skipped all of their classes to make the place more presentable.

Neville was their lookout with Moaning Myrtle and Blaise was their cover.

Six, complex golems were directed to each class, and although they remained silent throughout all their classes, it wasn't enough to cause suspicions.

By dinner, over 327 cleaning spells had been used. Draco, Theodore, and Pansy had put their extensive knowledge, especially in Pansy's case, of air freshening charms and decorations to make the room look less like a slimy snake nest and more like a dojo(at Bakura's insistence).

Ryou and Bakura made the trip down to put the finishing touches on it the first chance they got, having spent the majority of the day with the others doing damage control with the majority of the creatures that reported back to their headquarters on a daily basis.

Their extensive knowledge of the occult, and as such, the rather useless spells were put to use and by the time the first Gryffindors dropped through the pipes to the Chamber below, the final room was no longer Salazar Slytherin's private rooms.

The stone serpent door was gone, blown off and banished for a more traditional, warded Japanese shoji doors. The walls, with extreme difficulty as they weren't painting sheetrock, they were painting stone, a neutral tan-ish color. They had kept Salazar's statue, it being too big to know if it was holding anything up.

The pipes had been cleaned out, fresh water was diverted from some American pond, force through several magic filters, and created the beginning of a very convincing nature illusion.

Ryou assured the Circle, that it would be used later.

The entire floor was cushioned in mats, brought down through portals connected to the Room of Requirement. Several of the pillars served as portals much like the barrier at King's Cross to different places in the castle, four of which were to the common rooms, easily set up both ways for anyone with the right password.

In the end, the room looked simple, but was incredibly complex, with several different centuries' magic at work to make it that way.

Ten minutes before the appointed time, Harry and Ron walked down the familiar cavern and found something the Alliance _hadn't_ done.

The rock pile Lockhart's screwed up Memory Charm had caused, was neatly set up in a stone archway, glinting every now and then with yellow, red, blue, and green gems.

The two thought nothing of it, and moved on.

No one knew just what Shadow Magic was capable of, after all.

**TBWL**

Ron wasn't surprised when the Gryffindors were the first to take the lunge into the Chamber.

The rumors around the Secret Chamber of Slytherin, weren't the best.

He smirked at Harry.

The other teen just rolled his eyes as the rest of those that signed up joined them.

By the time Neville dropped down after the last student, there were more than forty students that joined the Alliance that day, walking into the true Chamber of Secrets for the first time.

**TBWL**

Draco watched as people from all years and houses walked through the flimsy door and looked around.

He met Harry's eyes from the shadows and the green-eyed hikari nodded minutely. This was al they would get tonight.

Pansy and Theodore threw up subtle silencing charms and Blaise activated the wards that protected what could be broken.

Shimmering walls of color appeared on the entrances to the pipes, timed American Demon magic.

"Ignore the wards, they're to keep us out until the time is right." Hermione said, walking with Pansy and Neville through the groups, breaking them up into teams of four, one from each house, if possible.

Ron and Theo stood at the entrance to the Chamber, leaning on either side of the shoji door, watching the others and talking quietly among themselves.

_::What do you want to start with, Harry?::_

_:Disarming. It's the basics of the defense they'll need. And it's a good ice breaker, the older students can help the younger.:_

_::Alright.::_

"Yugi, Ryou, and Malik have emergency they're dealing with." Harry said, silence falling. "So we've had to change our plans a bit. At first, we planned on working with the first through third years at disarming, while fourth through seventh would work with those three and Theodore beginning a meditative type thing."

"Instead," Draco continued. "Anyone who knows the spell, can help us with those who don't. No fighting. Get to know one another and be patient. If any spell outside of the Disarming Spell is used, Ryou's come up with a way to 'punish' you. You've already been warned that rivalry stays outside of the Alliance meetings."

Terry Boot crossed his arms. "How fast are we going to work here?"

"As fast as we can." Blaise said. "There's a rumor through the staff that the wards of Hogwarts are deteriorating. By Christmas, there won't be anything left."

Murmurs went through the small crowd.

"As of now, nothing matters outside of this group. Forget your ideals, forget who your parents are. Forget your Houses. Forget anything outside of Hogwarts. Obviously, the teachers aren't going to tell us anything, so we'll find out for ourselves how to protect ourselves." Harry said over them.

"Hermione and I have split you up into groups of four. All of you have one person who'll be in contact with one of us. Because of how many people there are, we can't go to all of you without looking suspicious in the eyes of both the staff and Umbridge, so we'll go to your 'group captain'. They'll go to their groups and pass on any information that we et to the rest of you, as well as when our meetings will be." Pansy said, coming up to the others.

"The groups and leaders were all picked at random. There was no special treatment of any kind." Hermione added. "We have until midnight down here. The first half hour, you get to know who's in your group and what they're schedules are like. The last half hour is for us to get to know the leaders. To get their schedules so we can get a hold of them."

Neville whispered quietly from beside Harry. "Harry, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, just a sec." Harry answered. "While outside of this Chamber, there is no reason for any of you to associate with one another, other than the information distribution between teams, it might not be a bad idea to form study groups of the four 'team members', so it doesn't look suspicious if you show up around one another at random times. That isn't to say you should do it immediately, do it one at a time. The lack of animosity should keep Dumbledore off of our back, and the fact that we're all working on our test scores, is enough that Umbridge can't find any fault in what we're doing."

Harry bowed politely to the group as a whole, before he slipped back out into the stone hallway with Neville.

**TBWL**

"What's wrong, Nev?" Harry asked quietly.

"I think someone's watching the chamber entrance." Neville whispered. "Myrtle and I both felt it before I came down here with the others. But I don't know how long they'd been there before we felt it."

"Felt it?" Harry asked, frowning. "You didn't see anyone?"

"No. There was _nothing_ in that bathroom with us beside the other students."

Harry leaned against the wall. "You think its Dumbledore?"

Neville shrugged. "I don't know anything about the wards. It's possible, I suppose."

Harry slid the door open slightly with one hand, just enough that he can speak to Ron and Theodore on the inside, but not so that the group inside can see the worry on his face through the door.

"Guys, grab the others and come out here. We need your help with something."

Theo nodded and slid into the room almost unseen to find Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and Hermione.

**TSW**

Elsewhere in the Chamber, in one of the many nature tunnels, the remaining Wielders stood over Severus Snape's form.

Alone, they switched back to the easier, more familiar language of Japanese.

"**He's passed through one of the stages." **Bakura drawled, leaning against a tree. **"So what are we going to do if he successfully turns?"**

"**Technically, we should be killing him now." **Marik said.

"**But we won't."** Yugi cut in. **"Regardless of **_**who**_** turned him, he's still Zane's childe. And we don't kill our own."**

"**Zane'll never know he **_**has**_** a childe if we don't get him back." **Malik interrupted.

"**We don't know what happened yet. Jess isn't talking and Shadi's just as out of it. We can't do anything more about Zane until we find him."** Ryou pointed out.

"**So what do you want to do?"** Marik asked.

"**We'll deal with the problem we have. The growing Alliance, Snape's turning, and our dragon problem."** Yami said. **"In only two days, Snape's condition will worsen no matter what. In four days, there's another Alliance meeting and this time, we'll **_**have**_** to be there or it'll get suspicious."**

The Wielders fell silent for a minute.

"**If we didn't think the end was coming before, we do now."** Marik whispered dejectedly.

"**Yeah."** Bakura whispered bitterly. **"So it would seem."**

**TSS**

Zane sneered derisively at Anubis, the taller man glared down at him.

Behind them, on a black throne-like chair, sat the palest man to ever walk the earth. Red eyes, pupil's slit like snake's eyes, watched the two quarrelers with amusement, long, thin fingers trailed over the scales of the snake wrapped snugly on the chair. Black robes wrapped his gaunt frame and made him appear more human and less like a meatless, muscle less mass.

Above the throne, an ever shifting shadow hung-like a fog. Purple lightning flashed from the shadow fog and struck the chair at random intervals.

The man was Tom Marvalo Riddle, known to the Wizarding World as the Dark Lord Voldemort.

The cloud above him, was a small hole in the Shadow Realm.

"Now, now boyss." Voldemort hissed, his voice much more serpentine than human. "There iss no need to argue. Jackel, our new vampire friend will lead our attack on Hogwartss. Perhapss, thiss way, we will actually get ahead of our enemiess." Voldemort stated, sneering slightly at Anubis.

Zane chuckled humorlessly. "I don't follow you, Tom."

"**Ah, vampire, but I believe you follow me."**

"Indeed, Dark One. But I don't follow _him_." Zane smirked. "And I have a name."

"**Oh? Do share it with me, vampire."** Zorc asked, clearly amused with this creature before him and his insolence.

Zane's smirk grew. "My name is Lucifer."

"The Chrisstian Bringer of Death." Voldemort murmured, amused.

Zorc's chuckle reverberated through the room.

"**Go, young Lucifer. Rest. Tomorrow, you will meet your ever growing army."**

Lucifer sneered and walked out, just as Bellatrix Lestrange entered the 'throne room' from the door that lead to the room of captives, kneeling before her Lord.

"Master, a number of the captives have begun to get restless. You have a forbidden us from harming them, what shall we do?"

Voldemort got to his feet. **"Come Nagini. Let us visit with our captives."** he hissed to the snake.

Nagini followed her master and his servant into the next room.

**TSS**

Lucifer walked through the darkened corridors.

_What the fuck is this shit?_ he mused.

A light, at the end of it nearly blinded him, but just as it appeared, it faded, leaving his mind in darkness once again.

A dark chuckle rose in his throat, slowly bursting from his lips.

"I AM DARKNESS!!"


	18. Initiative

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Initiative

The next two days passed by slowly, for those who worried over the lost Wielders.

Shadi was recovering at a rate before unheard of by those who knew him, every day was a toss up as to whether or not something will be mended, or if they'd have to force the Healing through Ryou.

At the same time, the loss of her mate, was sending Jess into an ever deepening depression, no matter how hard the others tried to help her.

The Wielders' worry was growing, aware that without Hunter there to take over and force it to, Jess wasn't sustaining the body. She wasn't eating and there was no way to make her until she was too weak to resist the Millennium Rod.

Remus and Sirius, who were forced to spend the days in the Room of Requirement, were worried as well. It seemed that whatever anger had been in Jess, that had drawn the Wielders to Assassin's tower, had disappeared and it was disappeared and it was disturbing that it had not resurfaced, despite all of the obvious attempts from Bakura and Guardian.

It was two minutes to midnight, when the wards alerted Yugi, Yami, Ryou, and Hermione that something was changing in their two days of nothing but sorrow, patience, and pretend.

Draco's father was waking.

**TBWL**

Harry ran silently through the dungeons, more than aware that there was no one to catch him now that Snape was Merlin-knew-where.

Hissing rapidly to the snake guarding the Slytherin common room, he skid to a stop, panting.

_:DRACO!:_

Still no response to his mental calls, Harry cursed Draco's ability to sleep through anything when he wanted to.

_**:Blaise! Wake up!:**_ he called desperately now and not caring who it was that heard.

_**;What the fucking hell, Phoenix? And watch it with the names.;**_

_**:I don't care. Either wake up my yami or give me the damn password.:**_

_**;Where the hell's the fire?;**_

_**:His father.:**_ was all Harry said, shifting impatiently.

**TBWL**

Blaise paused in his trek to Draco's room at that.

_**;What's wrong with him?;**_

_**:I don't kno. Hikari just told me to get Dragon.:**_

_**;…. Damn.;**_ Blaise muttered. _**;He's going to tear my head off.;**_

_**:Just wake him up or let me in and I'll do it.:**_

_**;Hold your horses, Phoenix. I'm working on it.;**_

"DRACO!!" Blaise screamed in the blond's ear.

Said blonde sat up so fast he almost collided with Blaise's nose. "Wha-"

"Harry's waiting outside. Something's up with your father."

_::What's wrong with my father?::_

_:I DON'T KNOW!:_

_::Jeez. Don't yell at me.::_

_:Get your sleeping pale ass out here so we can figure out why Hermione and Yugi just sprinted out of Gryffindor Tower.:_

Shoving Blaise out of the way, Draco scrambled for the door, flicking his wand at his wardrobe.

_::They didn't tell you anything?::_

_:No, but both were worried about something.:_ Harry answered.

Blaise and Draco left the Slytherin common room quickly, but silently.

**TSW**

Ryou held Lucius' head gently, but tightly in his hands as the man convulsed.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure. I'm a tad worried, though, that this isn't coincidence. Where the hell is Yami? I need his help." Ryou muttered, snapping the last part at Yugi.

"Hes coming, Ryou. Calm down and think this through."

Ryou snarled quietly at Yugi. "I can't calm down. I don't' know what's wrong with him."

Yugi held his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

_/Yami, where are you?/_

_//On our way, Yugi. I needed to see Bakura about something.//_

_/Like what?/_ Yugi snapped. _/Ryou's losing his temper./_

_//We're aware of that, and I'm sorry that you're taking the brunt of it, but we need to check on something.//_

Yami and Bakura appeared in the room, Bakura moving forward to take Ryou's place. The white haired yami drew on the Shadows, twisting them around his fingers like dark string. His fingers twitched and the Shadow strings sank into Lucius' head, and the blond wizard's twisting and writhing slowed, but they didn't stop, nor did they become any less violent.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Ryou asked.

"Soul Magic. He's Snape's Soul Mate and is going through changes of his own to keep up with him."

"Severus has just entered the second positive stage and his magic is searching the area for his mate. Pure chance that he's here."

A sharp gasp had the group looking at the doorway.

"Father!"

"No!" Bakura snapped. "Don't touch him."

Yami grabbed Draco's shoulder.

"What the fuck…." Harry breathed.

"His mate is looking for his magic." Blaise murmured, looking at the group. "Who's turning?"

"Severus Snape." Yami answered.

"Turning?" Draco asked. "Into what?"

"Dorian exchanged blood and venom apparently. Severus has just entered the second of four positive stages." Yugi said quietly.

"Why didn't you just tell us that?"

"Because for once, the Wielders are in disagreement," Bakura said, "as to what to do with a vampire."

"D-disagreement?" Blaise asked, paling.

"Marik and Yugi want to kill him. To end his suffering and head off a possible killer. Ryou and Malik are undecided. Bakura and I respect Zane too much to kill any childe of his, not even one that Dorian makes."

"You make it seem as if we don't, putting it that way, Yami." Ryou said quietly. "We respect him as well, but we have enough vampires running around for Zorc, we don't need another one." he paused when he realized what he'd said, horrified.

"Zane would _never_, 'run around' for Zorc. And don't you _ever_, suggest otherwise." Bakura hissed, momentarily glaring at Ryou and forgetting about Lucius.

"Bakura, I-"

"Don't, Ryou." Yami murmured sadly. "The six of you don't understand what its like for us. We feel like we've failed. Failed in protecting one of our own and it hurts. It hurts us all, but Bakura specifically. He's the closest to Jess and the only one who truly knows what this is like, believing that you're something you're not."

Bakura tightened his grip on Lucius' head, and the Shadows tightened with him, making the man let out a choked, pain filled gasp, his body arching off the bed in pain.

"Bakura! You're hurting him!" Ryou admonished gently.

Bakura loosened his hold, closing his eyes to try and regain control over himself.

_#You didn't fail, love.#_

_##How can you say that? Zane's running around under Zorc's control because he was the only trained Wielder there.##_

_#Exactly. Not because of you. Any of you.#_

_##…. It's not nearly that simple, Ryou. Not that simple at all….##_

_**--Guys.--**_ Marik called, even his voice subdued. _**--As much as I hate to break the mood and bring us back to business….--**_

_**/What, Guardian?/**_ Yugi asked.

_**--There's a Curse of Dragon flying above the Forbidden Forest.--**_

_**//There's a what?//**_

_**-A Curse of Dragon. Not quite sure **_**why**_** it's flying only above the forest. It hasn't entered Hogwarts itself yet.-**_

_**;I got it.;**_ Blaise cut in. _**;You guys have enough to do. I can take care of the Dragon easily enough.;**_

_**--Are you sure?--**_

_**##We don't have much of a choice.## **_Bakura said. _**##We already have too much to deal with and if he's offering, as long as he stays alive, I'm fine with it.##**_

_**//I agree. We have too much on our plates. Just stay alive, you're our only contact to the Elementals until Lady gets back to herself.//**_

_**/I don't like it./**_

_**#But you agree we can't afford not to.#**_ Ryou pressed.

_**/Yes, but how do we know that the Dragon is the only monster out there?/**_

_**::It's not.::**_

The group blinked and looked at Draco, faces plainly stating 'huh?' The stunned silence from Marik and Malik said that their faces probably said the same thing.

_**::There's a smaller presence. Not as strong as the one over the Forbidden Forest.::**_

Yugi was the first to break free of his shock. _So, he can find and sense summoned Shadows…._

_**/Are you still sure about this, Cougar?/**_

_**;Yes. I've gathered information while you guys risked your lives. I want to do something to help you now.;**_

_**-…alright.-**_

_**--Call if you need assistance, yeah?--**_

_**;You got it.;**_

Blaise nodded to Draco and the others before he left, smoke filtered from the small column of fire.

**TSW**

Jess was aware of Remus' worried gaze as she stared blankly at the wall.

She was tired. So tired, of all the things Zorc seemed bent on doing to her. She'd watched her parents die at his hands, although whether _that_ was true wasn't known. It was information from Akunadin after all.

She slowly closed her eyes, focusing on the dark, shifting wall that was once her connection to her lover. Created by Zane's blood ad sustained only by her desire to keep it there.

Days ago, it had been flooded with emotions, even the few hours after Zorc took Zane, she could feel his malicious intent, his desire for more of his former comrade's blood.

She could only hope that it meant that Odion was still alive, still able to be found and brought back.

She knew that Odion _couldn't_ be swayed from Malik, his Blood Promise saw to that. Even against Malik's yami, still Malik, in a way, Odion stood by, stayed beside him to help keep Marik in check.

Tears welled at the blankness, the pure Shadows that kept her and Zane apart. The slick, oil-like feeling running along her prodding, probing 'fingers'. She shuddered in despair and disgust, sliding even deeper, away from the pitying eyes of the werewolf she'd only met once.

**TBWL**

Remus felt Moony nudge his mind questioningly and reached out to the werewolf.

"What?"

""What's wrong with her? She smells of despair and pain, but there is no blood.""

Remus pondered the werewolf's question and wondered how to answer.

"Her mate. He is…gone."

""He is dead?""

"No. From what I understand, he's been fooled into believing that the enemy is the one that he's been following all along. That he has no friends or mate…."

Moony whined at the thought.

"Do you have a mate?"

""I have many potential mates. But only one appeals to both of us.""

"Oh? How do you mean?"

""Well, a few of the potentials are male, but most are female. And the one you want is a potential mate. Very powerful.""

Remus blushed at what the other was implying and turned his attention back to trying to sleep.

**TBWL**

It was far from Blaise's first time in the Forbidden Forest. He spent most of his time and energy patrolling it.

However, he knew the second that he entered the Forest, that this time was different, and it had nothing to do with electricity-born fires that littered the woods.

It was in the very air.

A warbled cry made him duck quickly to avoid the approaching electric ball.

"Damn." He muttered. "This could be a problem."

Not ten feet away from him, and thus the entrance to the castle grounds, was a large, green and yellow electric eel.

"Fuck."

**TSS**

Lucifer watched, more than a little amused at Wormtail attempted to control the Lightning Conger and follow his Lord's orders all at once.

A young man, no older than twenty, watched them both with cold eyes.

Lucifer knew that Odion wanted to spill more of his blood, what little of it he'd gotten to, anyways. The vampire had a feeling that the Egyptian didn't hate him. Just what he'd done to him, which was unusual.

"So, fool, why are you angry? You fear nothing?"

The man said nothing to him, only continued to glare.

Behind them all, Voldemort laughed coldly.

**TBWL**

Harry sat up with a muffled scream, and bit his lip when he saw Seamus, Dean, and Yami standing around him.

He swallowed worriedly. _Just how loud was I screaming?_

Yami's eyes narrowed on the teen and Harry knew it was loud enough to alert the elder to _who_ and _what_ he was dreaming about.

"Damn." he muttered.

"Damn is right, Harry. What the fuck was that?" Dean asked, scared at the sounds that had come from his dormmate.

"Just a bad dream." Harry said quietly. "It was nothing."

"Nothing my ass, Harry." Seamus disagreed. "You were screaming bloody murder."

"I…don't want to talk about it guys, please." Harry said, turning pleading eyes on the three of them.

Yami herded the two Gryffindors back to bed, promising to work out what the dream was about.

**TSW**

Returning to Harry's side, Silencing Charm already in place, Yami made himself comfortable.

"What did you dream, Harry?"

"Nothing." Harry whispered. "I didn't dream, Yami. I Saw."

Harry's words made the pharaoh's eyes flicker questioningly to the scar on his forehead.

"Yeah." Harry confirmed. "That."

"Harry, we need to do something about that."

"What am I supposed to do? I don't even know _how_ I'm doing this."

Yami sighed. "First tell us what you Saw and we'll work from there."

Harry frowned at him, trying to remember what he'd seen, telling things as he remembered them.

**TBWL**

Blaise knelt behind a tree, wincing at the pull of electrocuted muscles. He was swiftly beginning to see that the Dragon sat back and did nothing, watching over the eel.

Groaning as he pulled his muscles again, he reached for the only awake Wielder mind.

_**;What's the Lightning Conger's Shadow Ability?;**_

_**/Adversity to element attacks./**_ Yugi answered. _**/Do you need help?/**_

_**;No. Just wondering.;**_

_**/Don't die, Cougar. Please./**_

_**;Everyone says that. I swear, there's no faith is there?;**_

Yugi chuckled. _**/Not for beginners, Cougar. And apparently not for you either./**_he teased.

Blaise looked around the tree, trying to find the Shadow Creature. _**;So, what's Pharaoh doing that he's got nothing to say?;**_

_**/Phoenix had another 'dream'./**_

_**;…. One of them?;**_

_**/Yup. Pharaoh's going through his list of Mind protections that keep **_**internal**_** threats away./**_

_**;I'm guessing there aren't many?;**_

_**/Nope./**_ Yugi answered. _**/Not many at all. Closer to about ten-ish./**_

Blaise yelped, startlied when the Conger appeared right in front of his face. "Woah!" he yelled, rolling away.

_**;Lovely talking to you, Hikari, but I'm a bit busy.;**_ As he cut the link, he thought he could hear Yami laughing at him.

**TSW**

Yugi forced himself awake the next morning, much earlier than normal.

Yami stretched beside him, senses reaching outward to search the room for threats.

_/So why are we up so early?/_

_//I want to go to the tower. We need to check on that dragon.//_

_/Why?/_

_//I have a hunch and I want to test it.//_

As silently as only a Wielder can be, they left Gryffindor Tower.

**TSW**

It surprised the two Wielders, to see Jess standing on the very edge of the tower, looking up at the gold dragon hovering over the Forbidden Forest.

"Jess?" Yugi whispered.

The teenager turned her head slowly to look at Yugi and Yami.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked, walking slowly to her side.

"Is this what you felt, Yami? This emptiness?" Yami frowned at his leader. "I feel so empty. Despaired."

"It won't get any easier as long as you and Zane are bound together, Jess. You two were just too close." Yugi said soothingly, eyeing the edge of the tower warily as he approached her on the other side.

Yami, however, was focused on the rising sun, throwing the Curse of Dragon's golden scales into a blinding, glittering mass, with Jess silhouetted against them both.

"Ironic, ne, pharaoh? That a dark creature such as the Curse of Dragon be so beautiful in the light of day."

_/Yami…./_ Yugi warned, alternating his gaze between Jess and the ledge she stood on.

_//I know, aibou. I know.//_

"Jess, did you come here to jump, or to see the sunrise?"

"Either…. Or perhaps it was both." she tilted her head back to look at the ever circling mystery dragon. "I should know what that is. Hunter should know. But…it's just out of reach."

Yugi frowned. "Harry said the same thing."

"Perhaps he is more than just another Wielder." Jess murmured, disinterested.

"Jess. Eat something. We both know that even from this height, you won't die."

"Sadly." Jess murmured quietly.

"Jess, let's go get breakfast. The House Elves would be more than happy to make you something." Yugi said. "We can leave Yami to go and check on Blaise."

Jess gave one last look to the sunrise before she swept past Yami and Yugi and went back into the castle.

Yami watched them go with a frown, before he looked out at the sunrise and the two dragons.

**TBWL**

Blaise snarled and pulled the transfigured sword out of the Conger's throat.

"Damn…. This thing wasn't as slow as the others."

"That why it took you all night, Cougar?" a voice teased.

Blaise spun around, searching for the source. "Who's there?"

"I'm hurt that you've forgotten me, little brother."

Blaise's breath caught. "Chaz. What the hell are you doing here?"

Chaz's body, created completely of the wind, shrugged. "I'm not here. Not yet. The Elementals are converging on Hogwarts in search of Yukina. Give us a couple of weeks and we'll be right where you're standing now."

"…. Chaz, that doesn't explain what you're doing here. Why you're projecting in the middle of the in the middle of a fucking forest and not in the warded castle."

"I don't have the time to wait, we're almost constantly on the move and I've only got a few minutes to talk with you."

"How much do you know right now?" Blaise asked.

"Beth knows that you don't completely agree with the way the Shadow Wielders work. That you've repeatedly questioned them, either mentally, or out loud."

Blaise winced. "She always knows more than she generally lets on."

Chaz smiled fondly. "Yes, she does. She also says to _stop_. The Wielders have been doing this for longer than any of us. Trust them."

"Indeed, Blaise." Yami's amused voice injected. "It sucks that _you_ were the one preaching about trust not that long ago."

Chaz smirked a bit. "Pharaoh. Come to check on my baby brother?"

"Yup. Took him a bit longer than we hoped and wanted to make sure that he was still alive."

Without looking, the Wielder sent the almost dead Lightning Conger back to the Shadow Realm.

"Oh?" Blaise asked through gritted teeth. "Didn't know you were timing me."

"We weren't."

"Blaise." Chaz said sharply. "Don't. My message was delivered. See you in a few weeks, little brother."

Blaise felt the wind, released from his brother's spell, brush through his hair.

"What are you doing here, Yami? Were you really making sure I'm still alive?"

"Not really. We have quite a bit of faith in your abilities, Blaise. However, my hikari is attempting to get Jess to eat something. And I felt your brother's spell and came to say 'hi'."

Blaise sighed. "What happened, Yami? We got along so well until Draco got involved."

"Stress." Yami whispered. "I can't say that I'm not looking forward to Halloween."

Blaise fell into step beside the ancient pharaoh as they moved back up to the castle. "Why's that?"

"Halloween morning Bakura let's the Shadow Spirits out under limited reins. A few rules, no soul stealings, no killings, and they've pretty much just started playing pranks on mortals." Yami explained. "Shadow Magic basically goes unnoticed beneath the death magic, so Malik and Marik tend to have a bit of fun as well. The best part, however, is that the dead crossover for mischief of their own."

"Oh…. So Seto and Seth will be…."

"Around for a bit of fun." Yami confirmed with a faint smirk.

**TSW**

Bakura watched Ryou fill out the order forms needed for the upcoming Halloween.

Malik and Marik were bent over a piece of parchment, planning their annual prank.

"**Hey, yami, what are you thinking about?"** Ryou asked, glancing back at him.

Bakura frowned at him. **"You're becoming quite observant."** he stated. **"It's becoming disturbing."**

Ryou laughed slightly. **"Bakura, I've been growing since I was fourteen. At sixteen I was more versed in any religion than most priests in the world. The life we lead make us all observant about our surroundings. Not to mention that I was stuck with a Zorc infested **_**you**_** by the time I was ten."**

Bakura's frown deepened. **"Do you miss it? Your normal life?"**

Ryou smiled and shook his head. **"No. Our lifestyle is interesting. Stressful, but interesting."**

"**Not to mention that he doesn't remember **_**having**_** a normal life before he was nine."** Marik teased from across the room.

Ryou flipped him off. **"Stay over there, Marik."**

The yami laughed, but went back to his paper.

"**What do you want to do when all of this is over?"** Yugi asked, looking up from his Potion's essay.

"**I don't know."** Ryou murmured, putting his quill down and leaning back in his chair. **"I never really thought about it."**

"**I want to visit Egypt again. Maybe visit Ishizu's grave."** Malik said quietly, also leaning back.

"**That sounds like a good idea. It's been how long since we've stepped foot on Egyptian soil?"** Yami mused thoughtfully.

"**Too long."** Bakura answered.

"**I want to sleep."** Marik said, earning laughs from his friends.

There was a soft knock on the door and Yami waved a hand lazily, to open the door for the youngest hikari.

"What are you guys talking about now?" Harry asked, looking at the still giggling/chuckling group of friends.

"Nothing, Harry, just picking on one another." Yami answered, smirking.

"Did you need something?" Marik asked, looking over at the Gryffindor.

"Theo's looking for Ryou. I think he finished the potion."

Ryou blinked languidly and stood slowly. _#Come on, yami. Let's get this over with so we can send these off.#_

_##You got it.##_ Bakura muttered, watching Ryou gather the finished order forms before he merged with his lover and the two left the Room of Shadows, Harry closing the door silently and sat across from Yugi to begin his own essay.

**TBWL**

Draco signed his name at the top of his finished Charm's essay with a flourish, making Hermione roll her eyes across from him and Blaise to snicker beside him.

_:What are you up to, Dray?:_

_::Nothing. Granger's just distracted.::_

_:…. Draco.:_ Harry warned.

_::What? I didn't do anything. Just finished my Charms homework.::_

Harry sighed. _:I'm glad we're all getting along.:_

Draco couldn't decide if his hikari was being sarcastic or not, but decided that he was going to pretend that he was being serious. _::So am I. And I'm glad for the slow day to catch up on everything.::_

_:I think that may be because the others are busy.:_ Harry chuckled. _:Marik and Malik are planning a prank.:_

_::They tell you what?::_

_:They didn't even tell me they were pranking anyone.:_

_::Than how do you know they're not just planning _our_ next torture session?::_

_:I've shared a dorm with the Weasley Twins, Dray. I recognize the signs of planning a prank.:_

_::I'm going to trust you. Finish your Potions homework.::_

_:Wha-:_

_::Harry, Potions is the only class you have that you'd use me as a distraction for.::_

_:…damn.:_

_::Homework, Harry.::_

"He's stalling, isn't he." Hermione murmured, flipping through the book beside her.

Draco blinked. "Huh?"

"Harry. He's stalling."

"How did you manage to pick up on that?"

"Because I've studied with him for five years, Malfoy. I know Harry and Ron stall. Especially with Potions."

Draco smirked. "Why am I not surprised?" he murmured, digging through his bag for his half completed Transfiguration essay. "Hey, Blaise, you finish McGonagall's essay?"

"Finished it yesterday. Why?"

"What books did you use for referencing?"

Hermione smiled into her own essay.

It was different, studying with Slytherins.

Refreshing.

**TSW**

Snape's private Potion's Lab, was restricted from all students.

Wards, passwords, and several muggle locks kept even Albus Dumbledore out of the room, and allowing Snape privacy in that one room.

Living up to his reputation, however, Bakura had taken them all down and rebuilt them to admit certain people. Draco, admitable from the start, had helped Nott and Bakura set up the potion itself and the three took turns keeping detailed notes so that nothing went wrong due to a misunderstanding.

It was with this in mind, that Bakura stepped through the doors, russet eyes adjusting quickly to the dim lighting.

"Yo." Nott greeted, flicking his fingers in greeting.

"Potter said you finished it."

"Think so. I've never made the potion before and the books a bit faded."

Bakura nodded, eyeing the dark green potion, swirling slowly, lazily in the cauldron.

"Who are we testing it on?" Nott asked.

"The Inner Circle." Bakura answered, taking a ladle from the table to stir the Telepathy Potion slowly.

"The entire thing?" Nott asked, surprised. "What if something goes wrong?"

"We'll deal." Bakura drawled. "Do you not trust your potions skills?"

"Its not that…its just…. We don't know what'll happen if someone has an adverse reaction to it."

Bakura gave a small smile, the potion flowing silkily off the ladle. "No one will. Trust me. _You_ may not be able to read the faded page, but Ryou and Yugi do it for a living."

Nott looked at him oddly before turning. "How many vials do you want?"

"Five, for now."

"Alright."

**TBWL**

Remus twirled the quill between thin fingers.

The list that he and Sirius had come up with ranged two rolls long, complete with effects, counter spells, and casting level.

"Almost done, Remy?" Sirius asked, getting his ass trounced by Ron in chess across the room.

"Yes…. I think so." Remus murmured, letting the final roll of parchment collapse in on itself.

"Give it to me." Lady commanded quietly, holding out her hand to the werewolf.

Blinking curiously, Remus handed both rolls over to her.

The room was silent as the Wielder read the spells, all eyes on her.

"You have very few counter spells for the Dark Arts." she finally said, letting the second scroll roll closed. "Have you forgotten what your enemy will be using?"

"We haven't forgotten." Sirius answered. "But counter spells for the Dark Arts, are well…Dark."

"So? Magic as a whole, can't be light or dark. It's not sentient. Not like Hogwarts or the Shadow Realm, where there is enough magic in one place to _make_ it sentient."

Remus blinked. "You seem to have put quite a bit of thought into this, Lady."

Lady gave him a humorless smile. "Lupin. You've been with the company I keep. Healer uses only 'White' Magic. Both Pharaoh and Hikari use both types of magic to create their illusions. But I've seen them all use their magic to cause harm to those that would try and cause harm to themselves. Magic is magic. There is no 'light' or 'dark', about it."

"The Ministry of Magic classifies them as suck because of the effects."

Lady stared at Remus and Sirius in disbelief. "Fools." she muttered. "Mortals are such fools."

"Je-Lady." Ron asked.

"The Ministry classifies 'Dark' and 'Light' spells as they do because they're terrified of their reputations. Trust me, a simple Levitation Spell from the right height can kill just about anything they drop it."

"I get it." Ron said, turning his body to see Lady better. "Dark Lords, like Voldemort, use the supposedly darker spells, so they're classified as the Dark Arts, right."

"Exactly." Lady said, half saluting with the parchment in her hand.

Remus stared at Ron.

""What's wrong, Remus?""

"It just…seems like the children have grown up faster than anyone their age should have to."

""This is not normal?""

"Just…it upsets me that they _have_ to."

Remus tore his gaze from Ron and looked at Lady.

"So you're talking now?" Sirius asked.

"For the moment." Lady answered quietly. "It…hurts."

She stared at Sirius for several long moments, the other occupants just watching the two watch each other.

"I know you from somewhere." Lady finally said.

"Probably from the muggle news." Sirius answered. "They had me on all over the world as a mass murderer who'd gone insane in prison."

"And the real story behind Sirius Black?" she asked, amused.

"Apparently, I have single handedly blew up a muggle street, killing twelve muggles and a wizard."

"Pretty powerful magic." Lady drawled. "Could you do it in reality?"

"Don't know, never tried." Sirius answered with a grin.

"He's powerful. He probably could." Remus said.

Lady watched as, just like that, Remus had all of Sirius' attention.

**TSW**

'_**Thief, meet me in the room you're holding Cobra.'**_

_**##As you wish. It's about time you're up and about.##**_

'_**Perhaps, perhaps not. Bring Pharaoh.'**_

Bakura blinked, confused, but stood and left Snape's potion's lab. "Bring that to the Room of Requirement tonight!" he called back to Nott.

_#'Kura?#_

_## Jess is calling for Yami and I.##_

_#But why didn't she just call him? She talked solely to you, even I couldn't hear her.#_

_##I'm not Yami, but I think its because she's not eating.##_

_#Huh?#_

_##Our joint telepathy isn't as easy as talking to our other halves. Normally, we don't feel the strain because we're all healthy.##_

_#And Jess isn't.#_ Ryou said, understanding.

_##Exactly. I think Yami could explain it better.##_

_#You explained it just fine.# _Ryou answered.

But Bakura didn't hear him. He was staring at the scene before him with ever growing rage.

_#BAKURA! Do something!#_

A low growl escaped his throat as he slid from the shadows.

Pansy Parkinson was pinned to the ground with seven seventh year Slytherins standing over her. Two other knelt next to her, pinning her arms and legs while a tenth straddled her. The girl herself seemed to be under the Full Body Bind, tears gathering in her eyes, despite her obvious attempts not to.

"What do we have here?" Bakura sneered maliciously. A flick of his wrist brought out a lethal looking dagger as he walked forward, dangerous russet eyes blazing with an inner, angry fire and a clear intent to do more than just physical harm.

"If there is one thing I can't stand…it's a rapist."

**TSW**

Pansy began to shiver the second Bakura took the spell off of her.

She sat up quickly and began to retch. She could feel their hands and lips on her skin, the bastard's tongue in her mouth.

She deliberately avoided looking at the seventh years that she had gone to school with for years, and whatever her savior had done to them.

Instead, she turned and clung to the thief and began to sob.

**TSW**

_**##Pharaoh, go meet Lady in Cobra's room. I'll be there in a minute.## **_Bakura growled.

_**//What's wrong? Are you alright?// **_Bakura half smiled at the concern in the royal's voice

_**##I'm fine, but Taurus ran into some trouble.##**_

_**//What kind of trouble? And do we need to kill someone?//**_

_**##No. But she's far from alright.##**_ the thief answered, flashing the pharaoh a overhead view of the hallway, the ten would-be rapists sprawled, bleeding and half dead where they tried to flee from the demon that was Bakura's rage, Bakura's favorite monster feeding on them, and himself crouched among them all with Pansy crying in his lap.

_**//Bring her with you. I want to look at her before we send her back to the group that may have spawned those insects.//**_ Yami's voice was deceptively calm, though the darkness that flexed along the bond between the two yamis drew away from that 'calm exterior'.

_**#You and me both, Pharaoh.# **_Ryou seethed.

Bakura stood up, taking the Slytherin girl with him, not even sagging under her weight.

"**Enough, Krest. Let them be found."** Bakura growled, stalking through the still, bleeding forms of the filth that had attacked one of the Alliance.

The Man Eater Bug, Krest, slunk back, away from the mortal it was feasting on to trail after its master like an ugly, loyal canine.

**TSW**

Yami wasn't surprised to see Jess already in the 'hospital' room, staring out the window.

"Bakura's late." she murmured.

"Something came up." he answered, leaning stiffly against the wall. "He's on his way with a guest I want to look at."

The door was thrown open, causing it to bang off the wall.

Bakura's glowing eyes were proof that whatever had happened in that hallway to cause such anger, was still bothering him. The Shadow Creature that followed him just cemented that fact.

Yami winced, taking in the torn clothes and the protective way that his friend continued to hold the teen in a way that he had only seen with Ryou. "They didn't." he asked, already dreading the answer.

"Almost." Bakura growled.

Jess vacated the couch so that Bakura could put Pansy on it.

The fifteen year old whimpered when Bakura let go, curling up on the couch.

"Pansy." Yami murmured, kneeling in front of her. "I need you to look at me, alright."

Gently, the pharaoh turned her head to look at him.

She closed her eyes tightly. A gentle pressure on her mind and she screamed, tearing her head free from Yami's grip.

Yami pulled back as if burned, his own crimson eyes beginning to gleam with a need for blood and pain.

"What the hell was that?" Bakura growled.

"…. I don't think it was 'almost', 'kura." Yami whispered. "As odd as it is even for a rape victim, this girl associates any type of pressure with what she went through. I can't be absolutely certain without getting into her mind, but I'm at least twenty percent positive that this girl _was_ raped."

Bakura turned for the door, Krest growling in response to his summoner's anger, ready to complete what he'd begun with the ten Slytherins.

"Bakura." Yami snapped. "I'm not through."

Bakura half turned back to the other Wielder.

"Her mind may be shattered and her magic is rebelling. We need to deal with this, _before_ we punish those responsible any further. She's an ally, remember." Yami turned to lock eyes with the thief. "Besides, if you're going after the assholes who touched a woman like this, I want to be there to not only watch, but to press blade to flesh alongside you."

Bakura graced him with a humorless, bloodthirsty smirk before he wordlessly stepped back into his Soul Room.

"Yami, please go and get a shower ready. And can someone please find Hermione."

Yami nodded and looked at Jess questioningly.

"It can wait." she said. "Take care of her. I'll stay here with Ryou." she turned to look at the healer. "What can I do?"

**TSW**

_**//Wielders, listen up.//**_

_**##Keeper, find Virgo, send her to Cobra's room. Hikari, I want to meet our Slytherin allies immediately in the Room of Requirement.##**_

_**//Make sure that some one finds the bodies in the hallway beyond the Slytherin common room, because if they are still there when we're through, neither Thief, nor I will allow them to be. Guardian, come to Cobra's room. This is important. No slacking and don't screw around.//**_

The link went dead before any of the others could respond.

**TSW**

Malik stalked through the library doors, following Granger's magical signature.

The library itself was quiet, though there were definitely more people than normal in it.

"Granger." Malik called, expertly ignoring Pince's snarl to stay silent. The girl was sitting across from Draco and Blaise, both of whom were sitting rather stiffly, having already been made aware of how seriously Yami and Bakura were taking this issue, whatever it was, and both were desperate to find out what was going on. The three turned to him at his call and he waited until he was close enough to whisper and still be heard before he continued. "Go see Yami and Ryou in Malfoy's room. You two are going with Bakura to the Room of Requirement with the other Slytherins."

"What's going on?" Blaise hissed quietly.

"I don't know." Malik answered. "But I'm worried. Its not like them to _not_ tell us what's going on. Especially Yami."

Draco began to gather his things as naturally as he could.

"Quickly, Granger. Yami specifically asked for you." Malik drawled, crossing his arms, annoyed at how slow she was moving.

**TBWL**

Hary waited until the Wielders were gone before he turned to the two portraits on the wall. "I need your help."

"Ours? Why? Wouldn't it be easier to just ask one of the _living_ Wielders?" Salazar asked, watching the young boy curiously.

"No. The others wouldn't understand as well as you two would."

Godric looked down at Harry knowingly. "Draco's getting distant, isn't he."

Harry smiled slightly. "Yeah."

"Ah…that's why you came to us than. Because we've been through similar events." Salazar said.

Godric rolled his eyes. "Harry. Draco is distant because he is afraid."

"Of what? What could I possibly do to him that would scare him that much?"

"You could reject everything. The bond, his friendship, and any chance he has at proving himself to you." Salazar answered. "Young Malfoy has quite a bit more to lose if this bond is rejected. Especially if the castle rumors about him being reluctant to take the mark are true."

Harry sighed and rested his head in his hands. "I know he doesn't want to take the Dark Mark. And I know he's worried about Snape and his father. But there's something else that he's afraid of. I can't…. I don't know how to help him. It's rare that he talks to me alone since we went into the Forbidden Forest over a week ago."

Godric sighed. "Give him a few more days, Harry. He'll come around eventually."

Harry looked up at him, a suspicious sheen to his eyes. "And what if we don't have that type of time?"

**TSW**

Yugi leaned against the wall, idly scratching Padfoot's ears as he watched the Slytherins shift uncomfortably on the dozens of chairs and sofas around the room.

It was weird, watching the famed Slytherin composure begin to fade. It seemed that after the second Alliance meeting, especially around Yugi, they were growing used to spending time with the other Houses, without that rivalry and the suspicious-hatred from the three Houses.

"Hey, Mouto." a fourth year said suddenly. "Where'd you get the dog from?"

"It's Mr. Lupin's." Yugi said quietly. "I think he's talking with Ryou."

"The werewolf's here?" Daphne asked.

"No. Professor Lupin is here. Not as a werewolf, but as a changing Lycan. He's under Shadow Wielder protection, according to him."

"And you believe him?" the fourth year asked.

"Yes." Blaise answered, entering just behind Draco. "We believe him. It's not like he's going to hurt us. The October full moon is over and November's isn't for another five weeks."

"Blaise." Yugi greeted, eyeing the Elemental. "You look good."

"Glad to see you're worried about me, Mouto."

Yugi smiled faintly. "Of course." he glanced at worriedly at the door. "He's not happy."

Blaise shook his head. "No, he's not. Want to tell me why he's asking about Wizarding conditions?"

"I know as much as you do." Yugi answered, turning his gaze to Draco. "He doesn't look to hot, Blaise. What's bothering him?"

"Stress, I think. He hasn't been sleeping well either."

"I'll ask him about it later. After we're through."

As if cued, the door was thrown open and Bakura stalked through it. Padfoot shrank slightly beside Yugi, the scent of anger, hatred, danger, blood, and death overriding almost all of the animagus' human mind.

The Slytherins froze almost at once.

"You may note that only Slytherins are here. And if you didn't, then you obviously don't belong here." Bakura began, russet eyes glinting dangerously as they passed over the students. "This is because…the problem that came to my attention, only concerns this house. As good as the terms are between you and the other Houses, I don't think you want this to get out to them."

Yugi already disliked where this was going.

"Tomorrow morning, the _Daily Prophet_ will report that ten Slytherin seventh years were mauled in the Halls of Hogwarts." Bakura continued, glancing at Yugi. "And are now in a coma."

"What happened?" Daphne asked, horrified.

"They were punished by a Shadow Wielder."

"Punished for what?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes on Bakura. He knew damn well which of the Wielders had 'punished', his Housemates and teacher or not, the spirit better have a good reason for it.

"The gang rape of Pansy Parkinson."

Blaise and Draco both froze, horrified, and said almost at the same time. "Is she alright?"

"Pharaoh and Healer are watching over her, and I believe they were talking about bringing Granger in to help her."

Which didn't answer their question in the slightest.

"Who found her?"

Yugi closed his eyes. "Thief…." he whispered to himself.

"They're saying it's Thief." Bakura lied effortlessly. "Hence the reason they're in the coma in the first place."

"You three seem to know quite a bit about the Wielders." Millicent drawled, her eyes drifting over Bakura and Yugi.

"We should." Yugi murmured. "We've all been Wielder contacts for years."

Bakura eyed the pharaoh's hikari lazily for a minute.

"Moving back to the important topic," Blaise said, his voice rising over the group's murmurings. "What did you want us to do?"

Bakura smirked. _A Slytherin through and through. He knows I want something. I always liked this house. Beauty of the Serpent._

"Thief and I agree that the Slytherins need to close ranks around Pansy. Especially those involved in the Alliance. Yugi, Malik, and I are more than willing to help you if you need it. The rest of Hogwarts, doesn't need to know about this unless she wants to make it public knowledge, which is unlikely."

"Pansy's our friend too. And if she's anything like Tea, I can see that the next few months may be difficult." Yugi added, his hand returning to Padfoot's ears, more for something to do than anything else.

Bakura shot the younger man a dark look at the sound of Tea's name. Yugi just looked amused. It was well known among them that Bakura and Yami, while they had hated what had been done to her, weren't all that sorry to see her die, when Tea had been raped and later killed by a pack of vampires that had passed through Domino City.

"How can we help?" Nott asked from his wall, behind the others.

Yugi looked at Remus.

"Stick with her. Try not to touch her in any way that could be perceived as a threat. Keep your voices quiet, and soothing, but try not to treat her like glass either."

"I've agreed to let Padfoot stay in the Slytherin dorms as long as you all take care of him." Remus added.

Padfoot, for his part, managed to keep the look of shock off his face and only perk his ears at the sound of his name.

Yugi was under no illusions, however, Sirius Black was no happy about entering the Snake Pit.

**TBWL**

Hermione was well aware that something was wrong.

The Wielders' normally emotionless faces were torn between anger and worry.

Marik knelt before Pansy, who's eyes were bloodshot and rimmed red and already, tears were forming again. Yami leaned against the couch, a silent sentinel as he watched Hermione walk into the room, following her with blood red eyes. Sharpened by his anger, they terrified her. It was apparent now, why the Wielders held their emotions in check. Their exotic eyes gave them a supernatural look and made you want to be anywhere but beneath their gaze.

It was beyond unnatural.

It also explained why it was rare that anyone, even Malfoy, actually _wanted_ to get Harry pissed. His gaze made you almost as uncomfortable.

"What happened?" she asked, gathering her courage.

"In here, Hermione." Ryou called from the bathroom.

Quietly, and still unable to meet Yami's burning gaze, she moved from one doorway to the other.

Ryou was shifting through a box of multicolored vials, the liquids shifting as they moved, showing their various thicknesses. Beside him, the transfigured bathtub was filled to the brim with a light blue, sweet smelling water.

"Hermione."

Hermione shook her head sharply, unaware that she'd let the smell get to her and she'd begun to sway. "What is that?"

"A calming solution with sedative properties. A friend of ours helps us make it. I should have warned you. I apologize."

"It's alright." Hermione whispered dazedly. "What did you need?"

Ryou glanced at her and her breath caught.

The man's façade had fallen, revealing a vicious and cold warrior. Chips of brown ice bit into her skin even as the healer looked away from her quickly.

This wasn't the gentle friend she'd made. Those eyes belonged on Bakura.

"We need you to bathe Pansy so I can take a look at her. Considering her predicament, I don't think she'd appreciate any of us doing it, and she doesn't trust or know Jess well enough to let her."

Hermione hummed distantly, wondering what it was that had the strongest female in Slytherin looking so broken, even as she shed her robes and rolled up her blouse sleeves.

"Granger."

Hermione flinched at the _anger_ and cruelty that Yami seemed able to put into just that word.

"Yami." Ryou whispered quietly.

The other just barely looked at him. "She's not in her normal state of mind. At best, she'll recognize that you're not a threat and won't fight you."

"What happened to her?"

Yami tilted his head to look at her as he turned to leave. "I'm sure a smart girl like you can link up the symptoms without help from me."

Hermione's eyes widened and a sudden and unwelcome wave of bile rose in her throat. "Oh god."

**TBWL**

Pansy couldn't see.

At best, she saw blurs and it scared her.

She was unaware that her magic was slowly being bound to her body because it was lashing out in response to her turbulent emotions, ready to tear her mind apart to save it from itself.

All she knew, was her savior's hand was gone. Replaced with the lingering, disgusting feeling of slimy, sweaty, _disgusting_ hands as they traveled her body.

She whimpered, bile rising in her throat for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Pansy." a soft voice called, causing Pansy to open her eyes and look at the brown blur in front of her with the quiet voice, unlike the laughing, grunting, jeering, _vicious_ voices that plagued her memory.

"Pansy, I need you stand up, sweetie." the quiet voice murmured, gently peeling sweaty hair from her cheeks. "Can you do that for me?"

She whimpered, but slowly, she uncurled herself from the soft couch.

Gentle hands took hers and gently pulled. "Let's get you cleaned up, alright? Then you can curl up in bed and let Ryou take care of your wounds, hm."

Pansy was helpless to do anything but, as the slightly chilled hands left her and the sound of a door closing mad her whine and flinch.

**TSW**

The moment Hermione closed the door behind the two women, Yami punched the wall with a snarl. "Dammit."

Marik, his deep violet eyes detached, but still managed to glaze over with a rare fit of true insanity, eyed the cracked wall with destructive glee.

Malik and Ryou watched their leader.

Jess was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and looking out the window.

"Jess?"

Ice blue eyes slid to glittering lavender. "I want them punished." she whispered. "I want their souls to scream in agony before they even leave their body…however, I can't do that can I?"

Yami's canine lengthened, his tainted blood responding and changing his appearance to suit his emotions. "Yes you can. Say the word and Bakura and I can finish this in a week."

Jess' eyes pinned Yami with an unreadable expression. "I have never, in all my years traveling with you, Yami, ever blamed you for what you've done during the two weeks of Darkness. Would you have me do the opposite, with the mortals? The mortals who are thrice as susceptible to Assassin and Akunadin's power as well?"

Yami closed his eyes, shaking his head sharply.

"What do you mean?" Malik asked.

Jess sneered, a bit of her still comatose other half coming out in her. "This…place. Reeks of the Darkness' influence. Zorc's power is growing with every phase of the moon. With every successful step he makes in creating this new _item_, he and his allies gain more power and influence in the darkness. In the Shadow Realm."

Marik's eyes focused as the four listening to their leader, her words both tearing them down and lifting their spirits. The rest of the group wandered in.

"Bakura needs to reign in his temper. If someone recognizes his Shadow Magic for what it is, they'll close the school and one of the only places that Zorc hasn't touched, falls. Thousands of people are put in jail or executed because there's a possibility that our magic is being _taught_ here." Jess snarled, pushing off the wall. "We're going to shape up. And quickly. From November first on, I'm in charge here. The Alliance needs to step up to the plate. If they want to help keep _Voldemort_ out of the castle, they better begin to prove it. This house unity _crap_, better become a reality. The Ministry of Magic is corrupt, it no longer matters to us. What the newspapers say, no longer matters. The fool of a Minister is afraid of an army rising in Hogwarts. Fuck him. The Shadows have long _fed_ on fear. We are the things nightmares run from. I want an army that isn't afraid of hwat monsters hide under their beds." A sadistic smirk came to her face, mirrored in Bakura's eyes and Marik's smile. Enforced by the gleam of respect and awe in Harry, Draco, Remus, and Sirius' eyes. By the hardening of Yugi and Ryou's faces. "I want an army that can live up to the legends. An army to rival that of Lorenzo and Alexandria. I want Zorc to quake in awe and fear of the humans that he so despises."

"What do you think, Wielders? Can we make this happen?" Yami asked, the door slamming closed as the Inner Alliance crowded behind the Wielders' semi-circle.

Bakura chuckled. "I have no doubt."

"No doubt whatsoever." Blaise smirked, not in the least bit displeased with the looks of vicious anger on Pansy's behalf. Of the looks of calculating cunning. Of the ruthlessness that the Alliance was pulling to themselves.

Because he had a feeling that it would become necessary in the not so distant future.


	19. Jess' Memories

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Disclaimer: I do not own Axel, Roxas, Demyx, or the song 'This is Halloween'…. I think that's everything in this chapter….

Jess' Memory

_**Five year old Jess sat at her father's feet, staring up at him with adoring eyes as he talks, painting stories for her child's mind. Of darkness given form and the legends that went against him.**_

"_**Father?" she asked when he fell silent, midstory. "What's wrong?"**_

_**Her father smiled, his grey-blue eyes dancing as he watched her shift unhappily at his silence. "It's nothing, Jessica. Nothing at all."**_

**TSW**

Jess sat up with a gasp. "Father."

Sirius looked up from his book. "What's wrong?"

Jess stared at him, her new memory overlapping grey eyes. "…. It's nothing." she murmured, pushing herself further up on the wall she was leaning against. "Nothing at all."

Leaning her head back, Jess closed her eyes, pondering her dream/memory.

**TBWL**

Harry couldn't sleep.

His body was exhausted, Jess had pushed him to his limits and beyond.

But his mind was racing.

He could feel things. Things that a year ago, he would have said were impossible. A year ago, hell, three _months_ ago, he would have told anyone that told him that there was a being out there more powerful than Albus Dumbledore, that they needed to get their heads checked out.

Now, now he knew.

He knew that there were more powerful wizards out there. More powerful magic users.

He could feel them.

He could feel Yugi and Yami, warm, powerful. An inferno of power and heat when angry.

Farther away, he could feel Ryou and Bakura, icy, sharp, unmoving. A surviving block of ice in the flames of Hell.

Across the castle, he could feel Marik, pacing and restless. Malik was above him, on the tower an unmoving, strong presence, as unmovable as the stone that the castle was built upon. Protecting.

Throughout it all, he felt Draco. Cold, unmoving but comforting, calm.

That feeling wasn't like the others. It was softer and unlike the other Wielders, where they were all in one place, Draco's seemed to be everywhere at once.

The pounding in Harry's skull when he attempted to search out Jess beneath Draco's overall presence, brought him back to the dormroom in Gryffindor Tower, unaware that he'd begun to drift from his own body until he was slammed back and the Forest came back into focus.

Along with a headache to rival one of his 'visions'.

He groaned, laying his head on his knees, which were drawn up to his chest. "What's wrong with me?"

"Harry?"

Harry looked up, blinking at Neville. "Hey, Neville, what's up?"

"What's bothering you?" Neville asked, ignoring Harry's question.

Harry sighed. "I don't know. It just seems like I'm changing…. I guess its scaring me a bit."

Neville perched himself against his headboard and looked over at his dormmate. "Changing because of them?" he asked, waving vaguely at Yugi's closed curtains.

"Yeah…. I think so anyways." Harry whispered, the pounding in his head was getting worse and worse. He winced. "Nev…" he murmured painfully. "W-wake, Yami."

The last thing he heard, was Neville scrambling out of his bed calling his name.

**TSW**

Yami snapped elongated fangs at Neville when the boy began to shake him, causing the semi-timid Gryffindor to pull back with a yelp.

"Help him, guys." Neville hissed, worriedly looking over his shoulder.

Yami followed his gaze to Harry, who lay convulsing on the floor, Neville having helped him to the floor when he collapsed.

In a flash, Yugi was gone from his side and Yami was pulling himself out of the bed at quarter after one in the morning.

"What happened?" he asked, kneeling beside his charge.

"I don't know. He was talking about how he was changing and then he collapsed. The convulsions just started."

_/Yami?/_ Yugi asked, looking over Harry's writhing form at his lover.

_//Go get Jess. And hurry.//_

_/Right./_

Yami grit his teeth and pinned Harry's arms to the ground, straddling him. "Hold his head, Neville." he commanded.

"But-"

"Neville! I don't have time to call Ryou. I need you to do this for me."

Neville swallowed, but nodded and gently took Harry's head in his hands.

"Get a firmer grip, Neville. Put your thumbs on his tongue and don't let him bite it. If you bleed, switch fingers the best you can."

Neville bit his own tongue almost until it bled, as he followed the Wielder's instructions.

**TBWL**

Draco's eyes snapped open.

The shadows shifted around his bed.

"Who's there?" he called, his grip tightening on the dagger beneath his pillow.

_~Be still, Master Dragon. You're being watched.~_

There was a flash of something off of light as the being shifted in the darkness.

"What?"

_~I apologize, master. But I was curious about the Wielder who was to command me. I hope that I haven't angered you.~_

_What the hell?_

_**Pain…**_

_**Fear…**_

Draco sat up sharply.

_~Master?~_

"Who are you?"

_~My name's Amelia.~ _ the young woman's voice stated cheerfully.

"Can you get me to Gryffindor Tower without being seen?" Draco asked, pulling a robe over his pajamas.

_~I shouldn't. The Guardians won't be happy with me.~_

"I need to get to the tower… Can you call Hades?"

If anything, this made Amelia even happier. _~Of course. He's the Master's right hand. We can all call him!~_

There was a small tornado of shadows and the Magician of Black Chaos stood at Draco's side.

_~Master Dragon.~_ Hades greeted. ~_How may I serve you?~_

"Take me to Gryffindor Tower."

Hades hesitated only a moment before agreeing. _~Of course, Master Dragon.~_

**TSW**

Jess swept through the Shadow Realm, Padfoot on her heels.

The animagus had refused to be left behind and it forced Jess to take the long way instead of just teleporting.

Instead, she sent Yugi ahead with instructions.

"You know, Black, you're nephew is driving me up the wall. Not a night goes by that I'm not doing something for him and/or his friends."

Padfoot growled.

Jess smirked, glancing back at him. "And here we are."

Padfoot shifted restlessly as the portal opened, bolting through it when it was large enough for his small form to pass through.

Jess stepped from the portal, her clothes bleeding black, weaponry and all. The Wielder's cloak billowing ominously behind her, her blue eyes glinted icily beneath her black hood.

Swiftly, she grabbed the back of Padfoot's neck and tossed him backwards. The dog landed on Seamus with a yelp, causing the sleeping boy to wake and sit up with a wheeze.

Jess moved to Yami's side.

"What's wrong with him?" Yami whispered. "Twice now, I've been thrown from his mind."

Jess frowned. "Move aside, we'll do this together. Watch my back?"

"Of course." Yami said, as if the mere thought of him _not_ watching her back was a personal insult. "Be careful."

Jess closed her eyes as Yami had taught her, clearing her mind of all but her intent, and 'shoved'.

Almost immediately, she found herself surrounded by heat, and as with Yami, whatever was in her mind, tried to throw her out, but Yami was already working, without having to pull 'double duty', so to speak, he was able to sufficiently battle back Harry's defenses to give Jess a better chance.

As it was, however, Jess was slammed against Harry's barriers, as the Mind Master drew them closed like curtains around her conscious, and half hemming her in.

The heat flared in annoyance and anger.

'_**Who are you?'**_ she demanded. _**'This is the Mind of one of ours. And we take this kind of thing rather serious. Give me one good reason I shouldn't just tear you free of our Phoenix's consciousness.'**_

"You really don't remember." a voice murmured behind her.

Jess turned slowly. _**'I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't remember a lot of things.'**_ she stated, eyeing the mental image of the young man before her.

The man had bright red hair that fell well down past his shoulders and ended near his lower back, even though it was tied up at the back of his head. Emerald eyes just a few shades lighter than Harry's watched her with an odd mixture of sadness and anger. He appeared to be in his early to mid twenties, but as this was a mental projection, that really didn't mean too much.

"It would be nice, if you remembered your friends." he murmured.

Jess snorted. _**'I don't know if we're friends or not. I can't remember, so it would be your word on it. I'm just beginning to remember.'**_

The man smirked. "Well, I'll just warn you, I suppose. I'm not leaving until you can tell me my name. A little incentive."

Jess frowned at him. _**'My friend **_**can**_** tear you out of this child's mind, 'friend'. What incentive is there for me to leave you here?'**_

The red head shrugged. "I got in here once before. I can get in again. Your _friend_, can't do too much to keep me out if I really want to get in. Not when this kid's mind clearly _wants_ me to be here."

Jess shook her head. _**'Again, your word. No one can talk to Phoenix about it, after all.'**_

The man laughed. "Then wake his ass up, Jess."

Jess blinked. _**'…. I'll let you stay here, for the time it takes me to remember you and your name, if you do me a favor in return.'**_

"Now why would I do that?"

'_**Because you apparently know me. And if we were the friends you say we were, then prove it.'**_

"…. What do you want me to do?"

'_**Protect his mind.'**_

"But he's doing that on his own." the red head said with a frown. "By now you've realized that the heat is draining you."

Jess smiled wryly. _**'Yeah. I'm aware. But Phoenix has an enemy that can slip past his barriers and send him images.'**_

"That's…interesting…."

'_**You do this and I'll keep Pharaoh and Dragon from forcing you out. Give you a place to stay, so to speak.'**_

The red head gapped at her, as she mock saluted him and was gone from Harry's mind.

Back in the 'real world', Jess remained with her head bowed, staring at the peaceful form of Harry.

_Who are you? And why does my heart hurt so badly at the disappointment in your eyes?_

Overwhelmed by her own mind, Jess passed out.

**TBWL**

Sirius paced the floor of Gryffindor Tower, waiting for Jess to awaken.

Yami leaned back against the wall beside his bed, a silent sentry, his eyes were glazed over slightly.

Harry was breathing almost normally now, since Jess' had returned from her trip to Harry's mind, Ron and Neville sat on either side of him, watching over him until Draco returned as the sun rose on Halloween morning.

The air itself seemed to thicken in a way that no human could ever be aware of.

He could smell death in the air, something that he'd never been able to do before. Apparently, it wasn't just Harry and Remus that were changing in proximity to the Shadow Wielders.

He blinked as _something_, began to form in front of Yami.

A man, in robes fashioned from some type of priest, knelt before the former pharaoh.

"Hello, cousin." Yami murmured, the haze over his eyes clearing.

The man, Yami's cousin apparently, bowed his head, and said something in another language, probably Egyptian.

Yami chuckled. "It's good to see you, Seth."

Seth stood and smirked at the group, watching them with cold, blue-ish eyes.

"Welcome," the brunette spoke. "To All Hallows Eve as allies of the Shadow Wielders."

"Seth is how Ryou, Malik, and I became what we are." Yami explained, slipping into Yugi's mannerisms, which showed Sirius that the pharaoh was lying through his teeth. "He and the late Seto Kaiba were both Wielders."

Dean was pale. "Y-you mean he's d-dead?"

Yami's eyes flashed in wicked humor. "Yeah. Killed in battle. Both he and Kaiba. But what's the problem? You see dead people on a daily basis here."

Dean flushed and averted his eyes from the pharaoh.

"That your cousin, Yugi?" Jess asked, sitting up slowly, rubbing her forehead.

Yami turned and with a soft glow, he and Yugi changed places.

**TSW**

"You alright?" Yugi asked quietly.

Jess glanced at him. "Later."

"Lady Light. A pleasure as always." Seth curtsied, making Jess smile. She may have tolerated Seto Kaiba, but she'd always enjoyed Seth's company.

His never ending flattery wasn't unwanted either.

Yugi looked over at Harry. _**/Should I call Healer, Lady?/**_

'_**No. He'll wake up when he's ready.'**_

_**/But-/**_

_**//Hikari, he's exhausted. Let them both rest a bit.//**_

_**/…alright./**_

'_**He's safe, Hikari. I promise that Phoenix is only asleep, nothing more.'**_

_**/I trust you./**_

"So, Priest. Where's Ice?" Jess asked.

"Visiting his successor." Seth answered.

Yugi ducked his head, hiding a smirk.

_/I was wondering what was taking Draco so long, considering how quickly he got here when Harry collapsed before./_

_//Caught by Kaiba and Seth. I'm not quite surprised.//_

_/What do you mean?/_

_//Kaiba left Draco and Lucius his entire 'empire'.//_

_/Wow. As if they weren't powerful enough, ne./_

Yami laughed, and fell silent when Malik leaped through the door and tackled Seth.

_/Oh dear./_

_//That'll raise a few questions.//_

_/Apparently, the students of Hogwarts can see our spirit forms on Hogwarts grounds today./_

_**#Keeper, remember we can be seen.#**_

_**/Why am I not surprised that you were already aware of that information?/**_

_**##Because I'm his yami.##**_

Jess chuckled. _**'Happy Halloween, all.'**_

**TBWL**

Draco stared at the colder than ice teen before him.

"What did you say your name was?"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Seto Kaiba."

"Kaiba…. Your clown gave me the deck."

Seto's lips twitched minutely. "Clown, huh?"

"Peten, or whatever."

Seto smirked. "Good." he flicked his wrist and sat in the summoned black throne, his movements just as regal as Yami's, but held a slightly less dangerous grace.

It didn't make Draco want to cower and hide.

"Did you find the sword?" Seto asked.

Draco shook his head.

Seto's eyes narrowed. "Do you know where to start?"

"My heart." Draco murmured, glancing at the kneeling form of his Shadow guardian, unmoving and frozen at the feet of the older Wielder.

"You have no idea what that means, do you?" Seto asked, amused.

"Not a clue." Draco answered, eyes narrowing.

"You're angry with me." Seto observed.

"Ya think? I have some place to be."

"No you don't. Your hikari is resting, there's nothing more to do but wait, just as you were doing before."

Draco growled.

Seto didn't seem bothered by the Slytherin's annoyance. Rather, he seemed to enjoy angering the younger teen. He flicked his wrist a second time, drawing up a second black throne. "Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy."

Up close, Draco could see that the throne wasn't just black. There were minute traces of purple and dark blue. These were solidified portions of the Shadow Realm. Swallowing, Draco lowered himself carefully into the Shadow Throne as if it would bite him.

"My brother saw something in you when he got his vision. And as much as I hate having got Mokuba involved in Wielder affairs, I can't deny that his judgment is normally quite sound." Seto began, steepling his fingers. "Because of this, I had the swords excavated and your deck created. It was the best and worst deck I'd ever had made." Draco flinched. "The best, because I doubt that anyone outside of Zorc, Yami, Bakura, or Anubis could beat it in a duel in the Shadows. The worst because it would be useless in an everyday tabletop duel. The Chaos Magician throws everything off."

"Then why give it to me?"

"Because. With the right heart and training, I don't doubt that it could compliment the Phoenix deck Pegasus had made. And because it compliments your personality."

"What do you know about me?" Draco snapped.

"Enough…. I can see that you have no intention of working through your feelings do you? Stubborn."

Draco sneered, standing. "You know nothing about me, _Kaiba_."

"Oh really? So you're not denying that you're falling hard and fast for your rival. You're not worrying night and day that your godfather will end up dead at the hands of a Wielder, taking your father with him. You're not worried that Harry Potter will lash out and any chance you have at getting away from the Dark Lord will go down the proverbial toilet."

Draco was pale.

"I know everything I need to know, about Draco Malfoy." Seto murmured, the words muffled by the sound of approaching wings. "And I'm not supposed to judge you."

"But you're going to anyway."

Seto shrugged. "Don't have the time," he answered. "I'm going to give you a push."

A large, familiar dragon lowered itself behind Seto's throne, sharp claws and wide, dangerous wings curved around it, protecting its master.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon." Draco breathed.

"A creature like no other." Seto agreed, running long fingers over the dragon's right wing. The dragon purred. "Much like the one you're after, ne?"

Draco closed his eyes and dropped back into his own throne. He suppressed a shiver. No matter what Yami and the others said about it, nor how much Seto had done for the Wielders, he didn't feel all that safe with the huge ass dragon growling over his head and somehow, he didn't think that his Magician could help him.

**TSW**

With some help from Blaise; Yugi, Ryou, and Malik were able to be in two places at once.

Breakfast would be entertaining.

For the Wielders, at least.

It would be the first time that anyone outside of the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix would see them.

They were waiting for Draco and Seto to finish their conversation in the Shadow Realm, and for Harry to wake up.

At the moment, 4:15am, Yami and Bakura were whipping Marik and Seth in a tabletop duel while Ron tried to calm a slightly hysterical Ginny and Hermione.

Jess, still in her Wielder garb, leaned against the door watching them all. Ryou, Yugi, and Malik were confined to the shared bodies, but were far from bored as Ryou had started up a word game and they were playing their fifth round.

Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.

**TSW**

_**Six year old Jess sat on the floor, listening to her parents argue again.**_

"_**Why do you continue to tell her such things? They're going to make her do something foolish!"**_

"_**Like what?" her father sneered.**_

"_**She's going to turn out like you, and I will not have another one in my family."**_

_**Jess winced. **_**Another what?**_** she wondered, her six year old mind, no matter how advanced, was trying desperately to figure out what her parents were taking about.**_

"_**Another?" her father hissed, a soft, scrapping sound as he stood from his chair. "I'm warning you now, Marlene. I have no qualms with removing you from the family the same way my mother did my brother." There was a sharp, intake of breath. "I do have the resources…."**_

"…_**you wouldn't dare. You don't have the guts to be anything like your mother." Jess' mother hissed. **_

_**There was the sound of flesh colliding with flesh and her father growled loudly. "I will do whatever is necessary to protect my heir and daughter, Marlene. Even if it means becoming something like my mother."**_

"_**You're just like him. That blood traitor of a brother!"**_

"**Crucio!"**

_**Jess looked up at the sound of her mother's screams of agony. They happened more and more often the past few days.**_

"_**I would choose Sirius over you any day of my life. Don't ever doubt it."**_

"_**That didn't stop you from letting him rot in Azkaban, did it, Regulus." Marlene spat.**_

_**There was a moment of silence. "Watch your tongue, Marlene. Watch your tongue." her father snarled, followed by one of the darkest spells that Jess had ever heard her father use.**_

_**Jess scrambled away from the door and she flew up the stairs to her room.**_

**TSW**

"Jess."

Jess stirred at the sound of Ryou's voice.

"Jess." she felt the older man gently shake her shoulder. "Jess, wake up."

Her eyes snapped open, falling immediately to the white haired hikari at her side. "Hm?"

"…they're back." he murmured. "And Blaise is here."

Jess glanced around. The tower was empty of anyone not of the Alliance. Draco sat behind Harry, the Gryffindor's head on his lap. Seto was watching Jess, as were all the other Wielders.

"…Blaise…."

"Hm?"

"Get set up. I need…I need to talk to Sirius." she muttered distractedly, pushing off the wall and to her feet.

"He just went with Dean. He needs to find Pansy." Yami said, watching her with knowing eyes.

She lowered her head and her eyes flashed a solid gold for a millisecond, making the group take a collective breath.

"Jess…."

She looked at Harry for a long moment before turning to Bakura. "Be ready when I return. Shadi's going to accompany us in Harry and Draco's place."

She turned and disappeared, leaving several very confused friends behind.

Once in the Shadow Realm, she paused, calming herself and schooling her features once more. Opening her eyes, she left the Shadow Realm and returned to the 'real world'.

_What's happening to me?_

**TSW**

"What the hell was that?" Marik asked, more than a tad shrill.

"It felt…different." Bakura murmured in agreement.

"What happened?" Draco asked quietly, running long fingers through Harry's hair.

Yami glanced at him. "It felt…like we were home again. Like for a split second, we were back in Egypt." he whispered.

"And…."

All eyes turned to Malik. "And I could've sworn that I saw the final battle. The one from 5000 years ago. For a split second, I saw the fight."

"Somehow, I don't think that Harry's the only one changing." Draco murmured, looking down at his hikari.

Yugi and Ryou eyed him speculatively. They hadn't asked what it was that Seto had said to him, but it was more than obvious that whatever it was, it had quelled most of the doubts that Draco'd had with showing affection to his hikari. Even now, he was still running his fingers through Harry's hair and Seto had a self- satisfied gleam in his eyes.

**TBWL**

Remus was glad to be out of the Room of Requirement, even if it was under the illusion of Severus Snape.

He had to admit that Yami and Yugi made a convincing illusion. The black robes swept behind him all on their own, his strides matched the Potion master's perfectly.

The only problem, was Dolores Umbridge.

It was almost guaranteed that she was going to ask him questions. And no matter how good the illusion, his voice and mannerisms were still his own and he couldn't afford to blow this.

Yami, however, had assured him that they had it covered.

So, here he was, leading Pansy, Theodore, Daphne, and Padfoot out of the dungeons.

Only to be stopped.

"I need to talk to Padfoot, professor."

"How can you-"

"Hush, Ms. Greengrass. I'm not in the best of moods to answer questions that I can guarantee will be answered at a later date." Lady said coolly, staring at Padfoot.

**TBWL**

Sirius could smell the worry, curiosity, and just a hint of fear. Slowly, he stepped forward, his own curiosity peaked now. What could she possibly want with him?

Jess held out a hand to him and he pulled the canine act and sniffed her hand cautiously. Pressing a hand into the soft fur under his chin, he felt the unusual and slightly frightening sensation of being pulled away from one place and into another.

Shaking out his fur when she let go, he found himself on a cliff, over looking what appeared to be a tropical sea.

Shifting back to his human form, he noticed that Jess wasn't wearing the Wielders outfit. She was wearing black jeans and a long sleeve deep blue shirt. Her hair was down and blowing in the faint breeze.

"I was attacked here, once." she whispered. "When I was nine. It's where Bakura and Yami found me unconscious and 'glowing in the full moon'. To this day, I have no idea what they meant by it."

Sirius slowly walked to stand next to her.

Below them, the charred remains of what had once been a beautiful house.

"Did you live there?" he asked.

"I don't remember." she whispered. "I don't remember much before they found me."

"What do you remember?" Sirius asked.

Jess turned to look at him. "A man…shoulder length black hair…. Silver-blue eyes, like your and Draco's. I remember he liked to tell stories about the dark. About wars between the Great Darkness of Egypt…. I called him 'father'. My mother was Marlene…she didn't like me."

"Probably an arranged marriage." Sirius murmured.

"Hm. I remember an argument that they had when I was six. She told him that she didn't want 'another one' in the family…." her eyes narrowed. "They mentioned a blood traitor, my father's blood brother."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Do you-"

"My father's name was Regulus."

Sirus shuddered. "My younger brother. He was killed in the first war."

"Sixteen years ago, right?"

"But you would've been three. Not nine."

"Exactly. But I have memories of being six years old."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "What are you implying."

Jess turned back to the house. "Come on." Nimbly, she leaped from the cliff, black and silver sneakers just barely touching the rock as she pushed off.

Sirius watched her for a moment, how she knew where each and every rock was, knew the looser rocks and how to avoid them.

_How many times have you come here, Jess?_ he wondered before apparating to the bottom of the cliff.

**TSW**

Jess knew that they didn't have more than half an hour at best.

When Sirius appeared beside her, she walked towards the house.

"Be careful. No one's been here to get rid of cursed objects." she warned. "And the ground's a bit unstable."

"Thanks." Sirius murmured sarcastically.

Jess smiled to herself.

"What are you going to do if your father turns out to be my brother?"

"You're asking whether or not I'll leave the Wielders?"

"Mmhm."

"…. They're family, Sirius. And they have been for almost twelve years. I can't leave them."

Sirius smiled slightly. "Somehow I knew you'd say that."

"Good." she tilted her head.

"Jess?" Sirius' voice faded to nothing as she listened.

"_**Jess! Come on!"**_

_**Seven year old Jess stumbled blindly down the front steps tackling the blond at the bottom.**_

"_**Nocturne!" she cried. "I missed you!"**_

_**Nocturne laughed, sitting up on his forearms. "I was only gone for a week, Jess."**_

"_**I know. But I still missed you." Jess answered, getting off the ten year old, looking him over for new injuries as he brushed himself off.**_

_**His blond hair brushed his cheeks, pale skin was flushed from the summer heat, but he still wore black long sleeves and too long jeans that pooled over bare feet.**_

"_**I hate your father." she whispered, making Nocturne look up.**_

"_**So do I." he said after a beat.**_

"Jess?!"

Jess shook her head. "I had friends here…."

Sirius stopped shaking her shoulders and frowned. "What?"

"I had friends here. I played out here…. Nocturne…." she whispered.

"Who's Nocturne?"

"His father abused him."

"Was he a pureblood?"

"I don't remember. I think he was human…."

"A muggle?"

"Yeah…."

"Is he still here?"

There was a sharp snap as the rock Sirius was climbing over, cracked down the middle.

Jess' hand shot out and caught him around the wrist tugging him over to hers.

Sirius gave her a look. "It wouldn't have killed me, Jess."

"…I know." she muttered. "Hurry up."

As Sirius watched her go, it occurred to him that she hadn't answered his question.

**TSW**

Jess moved slowly over the burnt wall glancing around with trained eyes, watching small clouds of dark magic as it hovered over certain objects.

There was a small cloud of unfamiliar yet familiar magic that hung over the ruins themselves.

A faint, golden glow caught her attention as it caught the sunlight.

Cautiously, she made her way over to it.

"How often do you com here, Jess?"

"Whenever I get the chance. I've only been inside of it twice. Once at night with Bakura and Ryou and once on my own, the fifth year anniversary of the day they found me…. It rained." she said quietly. "As if they were crying with me…. Now…I think it was my father. The hell my mother really and truly gave a damn about me."

Sirius frowned behind her. "What are you doing?"

_This is the only thing not covered in dust._ Jess thought to herself, ignoring Sirius as she deftly maneuvered through the wreckage.

"_**Can't catch me, Demyx-kun! Can't catch me!"**_

She shook her head sharply as her voice from years before echoed in her mind. Slowly, she reached for the glinting metal, as if afraid it was going to disappear.

It was a locket, tarnished only at the clasp that kept it closed. A silver snake with an ankh in its mouth stared up at her with gold eyes.

"What is it?"

"A locket." Jess murmured sarcastically. "What's it look like?"

"Don't get smart, Lady Light. It…feels off."

Jess glanced at him. "Off?"

"Hot, powerful." he held out a hand, brows furrowing. "Let me see it."

"Why?" Jess asked, hesitantly dangling the locket by the golden chain.

"…my father wore it once. Around his neck when I was younger. He stopped wearing it when I turned seven and it shocked my brother. Reg was unconscious for two weeks…."

Jess idly twirled the locked, watching as it caught the sun.

"I guess either we're family or we stole and heirloom of the Black Family."

Sirius gave a wry smirk. "Family, huh? By both muggle and wizarding law you're old enough to do as you please."

Jess grinned at him. "Everything short of buy alcohol in America."

"And you've got three men more than willing to do it for you."

Jess looked at the locket one last time before putting it in her pocket and walking back to Sirius. "We need to get back. The Wielders have an appearance to make."

Shadows curled around her form and Sirius was quick to transform and run to join her.

**TSW**

As Sirius and Jess left the remains of the seaside house, a ghost-like figure appeared above the pile of rocks that Jess had found the locket under.

A man with long black hair, dressed in all black with a small gold ankh on his forehead.

Blue-grey eyes smiled as the last of the dark shadows disappeared into the air.

"Take care of each other." the man whispered before he disappeared from the world in particles of gold and silver light.

**TBWL**

Rumors spread quickly, of the attack on the seventh year Slytherins.

No one knew just how close to the truth they were, when people spoke of them bravely spoke of them 'bravely' fighting against the Wielders.

Those in the know, were unhappy with those who praised the comatose Slytherins, but dutifully kept their mouths shut.

As 'Ryou' had requested, the Alliance had subtly closed ranks on the rest of the school, especially around Pansy.

As Halloween morning dawned for the rest of the school, every common room could be found in chaos.

The Ghouls of the Shadow Realm, normally kept under close guard and keeping by Bakura and Thanatos, were fast becoming things to fear, causing pranks from kidding to borderline dangerous.

A few, such as Fred and George, enjoyed the chaos, and even joined in a few of the more heinous pranks on Umbridge.

Not even breakfast yet, and Umbridge could be found pacing the halls will boils that refused to go away no matter what spell she tried. Every time she attempted to walk down the marble staircase, it would disappear and she would fall the several meters to the ground.

To celebrate her 'jail sentence', Fred had pulled off a beautiful piece of transfiguration, that changed her clothes from her horrible pink frills, to black and green prison stripes, that McGonagall quietly awarded 20 points for, even as Umbridge tried, and failed, to remove, as one Marik and Malik's spell had just taken effect.

The Great Hall doors, slammed closed behind her, and became thick, stone bars with several small pieces of paper around each of them. On one of the papers, which ran the length of the bar, rather than the width as most of the others did, the students and Umbridge both, could see her name ever shifting from hieroglyphs, Japanese kanji, and English, while one three bars over and two feet up, was the same type of paper, with Albus Dumbledore's name on it. Every now and then, a black tendril of magic would pull itself from one piece of paper and slither along the stone bar like a snake, and sink into another paper with the same name on it.

It appeared, that the pieces of paper, were wards, and were specifically written for Umbridge, Dumbledore, and Alastor Moody, who had been meeting with Dumbledore in his office, as they were the only three people, that could not slide between the bars to enter or leave the Great Hall, as all the students and other faculty were doing.

While they, and several faculty members, tried to force their way out of the Great Hall, they were all forced to break away, as the black cloaked Shadow Wielders, made their first, public appearance.

**TSW**

At half passed ten on Halloween, Jess led the Wielders to the doors of the Great Hall, now the bars that held Umbridge, Moody, and Dumbledore warded into the one room of the castle.

The three wizards, were all standing just a few feet from the bars, watching them with wands at the ready, even Albus Dumbledore, who had previous contact with the powerful magic users.

"I assume that caging the rat was your idea, Guardian." Jess drawled, amused.

Marik sneered beneath his hood. "Who else?"

"Black and green suit you, Ms. Umbridge. A much more…flattering color, than the pink." Bakura snickered.

"You! You've done this!" Umbridge shrieked. "I demand that you change it back and release me!"

"Well, we're responsible for the bars, but no, not your…much needed change in fashion."

Seto and Seth walked through the walls themselves on either side of the doorway, pausing on either side of the two wizards and the witch.

"So…these are the fools of Hogwarts." Seth mock-muttered.

"They really go after the Demon Healer?" Seto asked lazily, eyeing them with distaste.

"Mmhm." Yami hummed. "Foolish."

"Indeed. They've peaked the Elementals interest." Jess smirked. "And apparently, they're all converging here to…pick up their lost comrade, among other things."

"It's too bad that we'll miss them." Seth said sadly.

"It won't matter. They're only coming for Ice." Yugi said, watching the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with amused distaste.

"That depends on many things, Hikari, and you're aware of that. The Elementals will deal with Albus Dumbledore and his allies as they see fit." Jess drawled.

Bakura walked forward, a spirit appearing on his shoulder, chattering in whatever language it was that they spoke to the thief in.

The three trapped magic users stepped back, just as quickly as they'd jumped forward, eager to be free of their prison.

"Happy Halloween." He sneered, walking towards the bars, which bend like rubber out of the way, to accommodate his body.

"What are you doing?" Dumbledore demanded.

"Its just a little prank, Old Man." Marik drawled, smirking. "I hope you don't have any…special plans."

Malik grinned wickedly. "Play a few games of strip poker. You're not getting out of here until midnight as it is."

Yami made a disgusted face. "Keeper, that's disgusting."

"Yeah. The mere thought of Lady Toad in her skivvies makes me want to hurl and I haven't eaten anything all day." Bakura said, a sickened glint in his eyes, the only part of his face seen in the dim lighting and his hood's shadow.

Umbridge made an affronted sound, before turning on Dumbledore. "You wait until the Minister hears about this, Dumbledore. This school will _never_ open again!"

Yami granted her a lazy smile. "And just how long do you think I'll let you keep your memories with an attitude like that?"

Seth and Marik smirked.

Bakura glided past the group, eyes traveling the Great Hall, listening with half an ear to the spirit on his shoulder.

"**It's clear. All Magic has been wiped from this room. It awaits our…special touch."** Bakura said, walking up to the table where Remus was watching them all, amused amber eyes hidden behind Snape's cold, emotionless black ones.

The bars, which had effectively drawn Umbridge away from him when they'd phased into being as she passed the door jam, had just warped closed when Alastor had made a move towards them.

Obviously, the Wielders had been quite serious when they'd said that they had it covered and he wouldn't have to worry about talking with the Ministry witch.

Umbridge, being who she was however, had no intention of taking Marik and Malik's prank lying down.

"You will let me out!" she screeched, pointing her wand at Bakura.

A hand clamped down on hard on her wrist, almost breaking the fragile bone there even under all of the fat, and twisted her arm ruthlessly up behind her back, forcing her to her knees, with her upper body bent over to lay parallel to the floor, as if bowing before the King of Thieves.

"I wouldn't do that, _professor_." Bakura purred.

**TBWL**

Dolores struggled fruitlessly against her attacker, her wand having fallen from nerveless fingers.

"This position suits her." one of the voices drawled from behind her. "Bowing before a Wielder."

"Hush, Guardian." another murmured. "Don't say such things in public."

"No matter how true they are." a deeper voice added.

"No fun." Guardian pouted. "No fun at all."

Dolores growled. "This is an attack on a Ministry official. I'll have you all thrown in Azkaban before this day is through!"

Her head was pulled up by her hair to stare at the assembled ruffians, particularly the one that she had been threatening moments before. "There isn't a prison you could name with enough protections to hold me." he smirked.

"Introductions are in order, boys." the female reminded them all, gesturing to the mostly full and totally silent Great Hall.

Dolores was not happy as those in the hall stood to try and get a better look at her humiliation.

**TBWL**

Alastor glanced sideways at Albus, who had made no move to stop the six Wielders from basically taking the Great Hall hostage, even though the older wizard had his wand drawn.

"I think we've lost dear Mad-Eye to his thoughts." one of the two dead drawled sarcastically.

"Think they should try harder?" the other asked, amused.

Albus stood still beside him, barely breathing, but watching the growing curiosity in the Hall.

When the Headmaster opened his mouth to speak, what came out, was the last thing that Alastor had expected to hear.

"How may we accommodate you today, Wielders?"

**TBWL**

Albus could feel the amusement that came off of Thief, even from across the room, as he cockily leaned against one of the several hundred small circular tables that now decorated the Great Hall. Of the original tables, only the Head Table was still in the room, and now had the Hogwarts Crest hanging above it.

Pharaoh and Guardian stood on either side of the throne-like chair, normally reserved for himself, and now housing the Wielder's leader, Lady.

She surveyed the students with a knowing, half superior air.

"Did you know…that Halloween was once known as the happiest and deadliest day of the English and American year?" she asked quietly, though her voice was blank of all emotions. "It was said that the dead rose and played pranks on children, pranks on the elderly. It was the most feared day in America. More people died in the span of seven years there, than that of any war that lasted the same time period. All on one day a year…." Lady chuckled. "The fools began the tradition of dressing their children up to protect them. Putting pumpkins with 'scary' faces carved into them to protect their homes. It worked…for a time.

"As years passed, teenagers began to get restless. They didn't believe the stories they were told. Instead, they began to party and dance in the streets the night before to spite their parents, spending the 'witching hour' out with the spirits. They understood," she smirked. "Oh yes, it was those 'irresponsible teenagers', that understood the dead the best. Not the men in their mid-twenties who preached about a _god_. Not the elders, who told stories about the death and destruction the spirits brought to the world…. It was the fifteen, sixteen year old adolescents, who understood the demons and spirits. So while their parents began to worry and fret about _Satan_ taking their children, the teenagers carelessly partied with the dead. After two hundred and thirty seven years, _teenagers_ put a temporary stop to a 'battle' that apparently had no end to it."

"A lovely story." Umbridge hissed. "But what point does it have?"

"Point?" Lady asked quietly. "There isn't much of a point…. I just thought that you'd like to know more about where this _holiday_ came from. To point out just how much _worse_ this day could be for all of you, if you truly had stuck to the Middle Ages, when teenagers did _exactly_ what they were told…."

"I suppose, though, that if they did that, you'd be at a far worse turn of events during this war you're hell bent on pretending doesn't exist." Thief drawled.

"There is no _war_!" Umbridge yelled. "The Dark Lord has not risen. And I will not tolerate such talk in _my school_!"

The Wielder standing behind her, pinning her to the ground, slammed her forward, forcing her nose to make contact with the cold stone. "Watch it, Toad. I really don't like your tongue. _You_ may not believe that there is a war going on here, but what you think doesn't matter. This school, is ready to protect themselves. Against all odds, against all of your precious rules, the Alliance has branched out in Hogwarts. Has created a force that, if necessary, _can _and _will_ protect itself, and its home."

"Hogwarts Alliance, stand up and show yourselves to those who would dare call you _children_." Guardian commanded, raising his arms up as if to catch them all.

Albus paled, when more than a third of his students, stood up including Severus.

"Every last _child_. Every last one of these students, has made an effort to learn to protect themselves and the ones that they care for. Their parents have drilled it into their skulls that there is a choice. And when the people on the opposite side of the war, refused to offer them a chance to prove their skills to themselves and those around them, then they went and found others who felt the same. They found someone who is willing to not only teach them something new, but to stand _beside_ them, rather than _before_ them. Who is willing to fight with them and not just protect them from harm. These are the young men and women who you turned aside because they were too young. Because their families were too dark. These are the young men and women, who could have put all of their power behind you, Albus Dumbledore, and you were a fool not to see them for what they have been becoming. You were a fool to cast aside the Shadow Wielders as quickly as you did." Pharaoh said.

"To your corners, boys." Lady said, her voice rising only enough, that the Wielders seemed to think she was displeased. "Healer, please get off the Defense professor, I want to finish my history lesson, if at all possible."

Healer slowly released the Ministry witch, who's nose was likely broken and bleeding rather steadily, stepping back beside Thief, watching Dolores like a hawk watches its prey get away, his gloved hand dangled the familiar, stubby wand that had dropped from her fingers.

"May I finish, Ms. Umbridge? Or are you going to piss off my friends further with your thoughtless remarks?" Lady sneered, tilting her head.

Minerva hissed a warning to the Ministry official, but it went ignored, as the humiliated witch glared at the Wielder Leader and stood shakily, a hand going to her nose to try and stem the bleeding.

**TSW**

Jess held back the smirk that threatened to take over her lips, watching the witch she had allowed to be humiliated tried to stop her bleeding nose, but continued to flinch as she probed the broken appendage.

Flesh and stone so did not mix.

"How dare you? You break into my school, _lock_ me in this room, _attack me_! Do you know how many-"

"Enough, Dolores." Dumbledore snapped, apparently all too aware of the tension that split through the dangerous young woman in his chair and neither of the two 'super powers', missed the flash of a blade at Thief's side. "We do not need another war when we have yet to finish the one already in motion."

"Indeed." Yami murmured, watching Yugi approach the table out of the corner of his eye.

"What happened to England?" a small voice asked from the far end of the room. The second year flinched and blushed brightly under Jess' scrutiny, but bravely continued on. "I mean, you said that the Americans stopped the battle, but what about…England?"

"It fell." Jess answered. "And is still falling quickly to this day."

"But…England was the most powerful country of the time, power wise, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes it was. But that didn't and hasn't stopped nor taken care of the problem." Jess answered. "In 1705, on Halloween, the death toll reached an all time high. Most of your families, the 'darker' ones, anyway, remember this as the time that Lorenzo and Alexandria rose up against the Master. On Halloween, that war ended. With the death of 27, 000, 572 people, seven thousand of which were demons, and seventy-four thousand were wizards.

"Than the rest were all muggles?" Harry asked, emboldened and enthralled by the story.

"No. One was a Wielder of the Sacred Shadows." Yami answered. "One of us."

"Salazar Slytherin never returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Godric Gryffindor would die not long after." Yugi added.

"I thought Slytherin left after an argument with Gryffindor."

"He did, but not for the reason that you would think." Ryou answered.

"Godric didn't want Salazar to leave the protection of the school. He had been wounded in another battle not long before it, and hadn't completely healed. Vampires from the Master's clan had dragged Hogwarts in as another battle ground." Bakura finished.

Jess watched as a satisfied gleam entered Umbridge's eyes, overshadowing even the pain she must have been feeling.

'_**I don't trust that look.'**_ she said, stretching the link between the Wielders.

_**//I don't trust her mind.//**_ Yami countered.

_**/And her aura's been off for a while./**_Yugi added.

_**#You do realize, with this information about the Founders being Wielders, she's going to try and close the school now, right?#**_

_**##No she won't.##**_ Bakura countered.

_**-Huh?-**_

_**--Yeah, you lost me.--**_

_**##I think she's another pawn. She won't say anything just yet. She's going to hold onto this knowledge until it can do the most damage to us as a whole, rather than just close down the school and send us all to the Four Winds.##**_

_**--A pawn, huh?--**_

_**//I agree with Thief. She's been too quiet about this story. We've made repeated threats that the Dark Lord has risen, but outside of that one outburst, she hasn't said a thing. You do remember the way she reacted to Phoenix's attempt to get the truth about that particular article out there.//**_

_**--Which one, do you think?--**_

_**-I'm not sure. Do you want me to take a look, Lady?-**_

'_**What type of results did you have the last time you looked?'**_ Jess asked, as if it were common knowledge that Malik would continue to look into the magic of all enemies.

_**-Not the best. But I remember a darkness. A jealous and nurturing anger and hatred.-**_

_**--Her magic has been sharpened since then too, now that I look at it. It's more potent. Darker.--**_

_**;A time for change, hm? Phoenix, Lady, Serpentine.;**_

'_**And Cobra, but we won't get into that now. We're in the presence of allies and we're being rude to them; and enemies and we're paying complete attention to them.'**_

**TBWL**

Groggily, Harry leaned against Draco's shoulder, listening to Jess' story.

The blond gave him a small, half smile and shifted so the brunette wasn't falling off the chair.

_::Tired?::_

_:A bit. You'd think with all of the sleeping I did, I'd be more aware.:_

_::I don't know, 'Ray, you were probably exhausting yourself even while you were sleeping.::_ Draco teased.

_:…. That sounds like me, yeah.:_ Harry acquiesced.

Draco chuckled quietly, wrapping an arm around the Gryffindor's shoulders. _::It does, doesn't it.::_

_:…where'd you come up with 'Ray'?:_ Harry asked curiously.

_::What?::_

_:You called me 'Ray' a minute ago.:_

Draco blinked. _::I did?:: _Harry nodded slightly against his shoulder, but didn't move in order to see his yami better. _::Hm…I don't know… It just sounded…right, I suppose.::_ he blushed lightly.

Harry smiled slightly, looking up at Draco, amused. _:Right, huh?:_

_::Can't tell me you didn't enjoy being called it.::_ Draco countered, half defensively, and to that, Harry had no response so he closed his eyes and listened as Jess silenced Umbridge the best way she knew how.

Too bad it nearly gave Draco a heart attack and sent poor Harry upright in his own seat before he could hit the floor.

**TSW**

Jess sighed. "Ms. Umbridge…."

"_-you can't keep me here! You can't-_"

"Ms. Umbridge."

"_-the Minister will hear about this Albus! Not another student will ever step foot inside this school-_"

**BANG!**

Screams went up around the hall as the gunshot faded.

A few of the purebloods spazzed for a few seconds before their prized composure was back.

"I SAID QUIET!" Jess snarled viciously, causing silence to fall immediately. The .45 in her hand still had a small trail of smoke drifting out of the barrel. "Of all the things I don't like, being ignored is one of my top seven." she said, her voice now deceptively calm.

"You, Lady Toad, have the manners of a hog." Yami drawled. "I've met _peasants_ with better acknowledgment of their betters."

The obese woman turned a very light purple, that clashed with her black and green wardrobe and likely would have gone only slightly better with her usual pink attire.

"I wouldn't." Yugi smirked warningly in her ear. "Lady Light has blown away much smaller targets than you, at a far greater distance. You should quit while your only injury, is your broken nose."

Behind her, Jess could feel Yami's unease and could hear the shift in his clothing as he readied himself to spring if a wrong move was pulled on his lover. She could see Harry shooting a glare between her and Draco in her peripheral vision. She rested the cooling muzzle on her chin as she watched Umbridge for several minutes, daring her to make a move.

When the woman did nothing but glare, Jess stood, shrugging her cloak back into place, with Marik stepping back so she could move around the obscenely decorated chair.

"Dolores…I suggest you watch your tongue in any future meetings, or I may be very, very tempted to put a bullet in your brain." she murmured as she passed the professor. "And I love the prison look on you." she raised her voice as she approached the stone barriers. "Let's go, boys. We have a group of Elementals approaching and a Turning to check on." she paused at the door. "Have a Happy Halloween, boys and girls. We shall see all of you at dinner, for a celebration worthy of All Hallows Eve. Severus!"

Remus stood gracefully and approached Jess and Malik, expressionless eyes locked onto Draco and Harry for a moment, before he went with it and sneered at the canine beneath the table they were sharing with Ron, Hermione, and Pansy.

"As I'm sure you've all figured out, the only ones trapped here, are Dolores, Albus, and Alastor. All others can come and go as they please. I do hope you've all learned your lesson. Especially on Halloween, the Wielders are _always_ watching." Bakura stated as he followed his friend.

Marik turned at the bars, bowing mockingly to Albus. "There's a deck of cards on your plate, _Headmaster_. Try not to get too drunk, Moody-san."

With those parting words, the entire group was gone, leaving an enthused, stunned, and angry(in certain professor's cases) Hogwarts population in their wake, filled with both dread and excitement at the thought of the 'celebration' to come.

**TBWL**

Harry slept through four of his classes, dreaming of darkness, screams, and fire. He woke halfway through his Herbology class with sweat dripping off his body but with no memory as to _why_.

After taking a quick shower to rid himself of it, he caught sight of himself in the mirror.

He was paler than normal, though the bruises that his uncle had inflicted on him over the summer were gone. What little fat he had, between Quidditch during the school year and Dudley's diet during the summer, had been worked off by the other hikaris. The muscles he'd formed during the past four years of Quidditch, were now more pronounced than ever before beneath his ivory skin.

It was his eyes, however, that made him pause, nervous.

They swirled like a whirlpool, his own green eyes, the same color as the curse that made him famous, dominated them, the much lighter sea-green was disappearing slowly, even as he watched.

_What the hell?_

Shaking his head quickly, he scrambled to get dressed so he could make it to Care of Magical Creatures, vowing to think about the newest change when he had more time.

**TSW**

Seth 'sat', 'leaning' back against the wall of Hagrid's, so far, abandoned hut, his legs stretched out on the ground before him. Above and beside him, his hikari snorted at the stick-like creature Grubby-Plank (_Who the hell comes up with these names?_ he thought to himself) had assigned to the class.

The former CEO was 'leaning' against the door jam, his arms crossed over his chest.

"First time in a magical environment other than our own, hikari?" Seth asked quietly.

"Yes. This and the Oricalchos, if you know what I'm talking about." Seto answered.

Seth nodded, watching Draco throw worried looks at the castle out of the corner of his eye.

Yugi caught his eye and smirked, following his gaze to Draco as Harry scrambled down the slope to the class, coming to a half-panting stop beside the Slytherin, Ron, and Hermione.

Blue-gray eyes lit up in relief.

Padfoot nudged Harry's hand with his nose, licking it warily.

Seth tore his gaze away, when Harry began to vigorously scratch behind Padfoot's ears.

"I'm sorry." Seto whispered.

"For what?" Seth asked, looking up at him in confusion.

"We probably wouldn't be in this particular mess if it wasn't for me. I know you miss your life. Or what I could've been." Seto muttered, gesturing to the two of them.

"…I miss it, yes. But I enjoyed the time I had. And refuse to exchange it." The two sat in silence for a few minutes, watching Harry stumble through an apology to the old goat who called herself a professor, while Ron and Draco snickered.

Padfoot watched the two ghosts for a minute, before loping off to Pansy, Ginny, and one of the other Slytherin girls he had forgotten the name of.

"Do you plan on visiting Mokuba before we go?" Seth asked, already knowing the answer.

Seto shrugged. "I wasn't planning on it."

"Why?" the former priest asked. "Because of Zorc?"

The former businessman shrugged and said nothing.

Seth rolled his eyes, but let it drop. _The same conversation, every damn year._

**TSW**

"_**Jess!" her father yelled up the stairs. "Come here and bring a jacket!"**_

_**Eight year old Jess blinked, but quickly closed the book she was reading, tossing it to the foot of her bed to continue reading later, and grabbed the jacket off the back of her desk chair before she ran down the stairs.**_

"_**Father?"**_

"_**Demyx is in the hospital." he said, already sweeping from the hall towards the door. "We're going to make sure that Roxas is alright, and then we're going to the hospital."**_

"_**Is Nocturne alright?" Jess asked, looking up at her father as she jogged to keep up with him.**_

_**Her father looked down at her. "I don't know. But if **_**he's**_** there, I don't want you to stick around, take Roxas and go, am I clear?"**_

_**There wasn't a question in her mind who 'he' was, as the family mask slid into place and she nodded up at her father. "Yes, sir."**_

"_**Good. Hold onto my arm."**_

_**Grabbing her father's arm, she was whisked away from the seaside cottage.**_

**TBWL**

Remus frowned at the young woman who lay completely still on the couch across from him. Though he had only seen the animagus for a few minutes before he resumed watching over Pansy, Sirius had had enough time to pull a promise from the were-lycan.

To look after the Wielder's Leader.

Considering that was really all that the two of them had been doing since she arrived here, it was a surprising promise, one he'd made without question. But looking at her now, watching the troubled expression cross her face, the only sign that whatever she was seeing in her dreams wasn't pleasant, Remus knew that Sirius had suddenly become more attached to the young woman. The thought made him wonder, what had the two of them talked about after Lady had whisked Sirius away from the dungeon corridor for almost half an hour.

"Moony?" The wolf, which was becoming easier and easier to call upon each time he did it, rose fluidly at the questioning call. "What's going to happen when we mate? Is it going to hurt like that if we're betrayed?"

""I think so. Most demons, when they mate at all, mate for life.""

"Some demons don't mate?"

""The Dog Man said that they don't. Because they don't like to be held down.""

"Wow…and Vampires mate for life, don't they?"

""Yes. As do we, according to the Dog Man. Vampires and werewolves are enemies though, and vampires rule the majority of demons, so we're also enemies of just about everything else.""

"How did you know that?"

""Instinct, I think. But the Dog Man used to talk to me. To keep me grounded, he said, during the Moon and the Suns afterwards.""

"Ah…."

The two lapsed into silence, both suddenly worried about their mentor.

**TSW**

_**Jess staggered, a haze over her mind, as she and her father appeared in the hallways of the dark, foreboding home of Nocturne and his family.**_

_**The sound of leather hitting flesh made her cringe, but quickly school her features and will, when her father looked at her.**_

_**She nodded once, showing that she was fine.**_

_**Her father frowned, but moved up the stairs, closer to the sounds of agonizing screams, something rose angrily in her, as her father raised his wand.**_

_**A whispered word and the door exploded inwards.**_

_**A whimper, as the leather belt stopped, drew Jess' gaze away from the tall silver haired man with creepy amber eyes, to the quivering form of Nocturne's ten year old brother, Roxas.**_

_**The normally emotionless face was twisted in agony, once bright blue eyes were dulled in misery and pain. Blond hair hung limply, sticking to his neck, saturated with blood as it was. The blood poured liberally from the cross hatch marks that marred and cut into the boy's skin.**_

"_**Jess." her father snapped shortly.**_

"_**Yes, sir." she muttered, desperate not to turn her father's obvious rage onto herself, as she slid along the wall around the silver haired man, to kneel next to Roxas.**_

"_**Roxy." she whispered.**_

"_**A-axel." the blond wheezed, making Jess frown. She didn't know an Axel, and wasn't aware that the slightly older boy did either. Shaking her head, she twisted the ring on her finger so she could easily press the obsidian stone into her skin, drawing enough blood to activate the portkey and wrap her arms around Roxas.**_

_**As the two disappeared, she saw the neon yellow spell her father shot at Roxas'.**_

**TSW**

"How long has she been asleep?" Bakura asked, looking at Remus.

"Little over two hours." the were-lycan answered quietly, setting aside his book on Lycans politely. "It's the first night she's slept without mumbling, so I let her sleep."

Bakura sat on the arm of the couch Jess lay on.

"**Wonder what she's dreaming about."** Yami said quietly, appearing behind him.

"**Hm. You're thinking that this place is triggering her memories."** Bakura stated, looking back at the mind manipulator.

"**It's possible. Her memories didn't disappear the same way mine and the Queen's were. And they weren't blocked off the way yours and Guardian's were."**

"**Amnesia comes in many forms."** Remus agreed in hesitant, semi-broken Japanese, earning shocked and amused looks from the other two occupants of the room. He smiled sheepishly. "I learn through observation. And there's a Japanese-English dictionary in the library downstairs. I understand more than I speak."

Bakura shook his head and looked down at Jess. "You're right though. Amnesia comes in many forms, especially where a Wielder is involved."

**TSW**

_**Jess sat back, watching Roxas rest. Her father still hadn't returned and it was going on half an hour. Looking out the window, she listened for the sound of Maria's footsteps. **_

_**The kind-hearted, but strict maid would be frantic if she arrived while Jess was gone, but her curiosity was peaked now.**_

_**Through out the entire time that the maid/witch and Jess had been working on closing the gashes made by the silver haired man's belt buckle and the repetitive hits he'd taken from the leather itself, Roxas had been muttering about how sorry he was to a person named 'Axel'.**_

_**She wanted to know who it was.**_

_**Was it possible that someone had tried to protect Roxas in Nocturne's stead?**_

_**That the person was dying or dead somewhere in the house?**_

_**Slowly, Jess crept from the room towards her father's study, still listening for Maria's footsteps. She knew that her father would have her head for entering his study without permission **_**and**_** without him, but she wasn't just going to let this Axel person die.**_

_**Shuddering as the wards on the door recognized her, she slipped into the room and closed the door.**_

_**Locking the door and looking around, she wondered why she was even in here. As far as she remembered, there was nothing that could get her to Roxas and Demyx's.**_

_**A flash of gold caught the eight year old's eye and she turned her head.**_

_**In the corner, a large golden phoenix stared at her with red eyes.**_

"_**Who-who are you? How did you get in here?"**_

**~I am the Shadow Embodiment of Ra, child. And **_**you**_** called me here.~**

"_**No-no I didn't." she murmured fearfully. Her father was going to **_**kill **_**her if she did something by passing the wards without him.**_

**~You called out for a way to get to this Axel, did you not?~**

_**Jess shook her head slowly. "No-"**_

**~Come, child, my only true Mistress. Allow me to travel with you, under the light of my brother, Thoth.~**

_**Warmth spread through her body, driving all fear and hesitation from her like magic. "O-okay…."**_

_**Flames as gold as the phoenix and as bright as the sun, blocked out her vision for a moment and then she was flying, on the back of a huge, golden metal-like creature.**_

"_**What are you?" she breathed.**_

**~I told you, young one. The Shadow Embodiment of the Sun God, Ra.~**

"_**What's a Shadow Emboda, Embodiment?" she asked, stumbling slightly over the long, unfamiliar word.**_

**~The title given to me, is the **_**Winged Dragon of Ra**_**. I both a God, and a Creature of the Shadow Realm, given form in the mortal world through your desire to help another and to assuage your curiosity. You have the ability to summon my kind from the Shadow Realm and into your world, this world.~ **_** Ra answered.**_

"_**So…I..summoned you?"**_

**~No. Not this time. I have answered your distress. You are my Mistress, Guardian, future leader of the Wielders of Shadows, and I am here, only to guide, teach, and serve you.~**

"_**Teach me?" Jess asked, yelping when Ra tilted his large body, diving to the sea below them and gliding along the shore, bestowing his golden glow along them both for many meters in all directions.**_

**~In time, you will see, Mistress Light. For now, focus on your chosen task.~**

_**The huge bird-like creature landed on the ground before the home of Demyx, Roxas, and their father. "You're a really slow flier, Ra." Jess teased.**_

**~It would seem so, wouldn't it.~**_** the God answered, tilting his head to watch her slide from his back and to the ground.**_

"_**I'm teasing, Ra. It's a joke. Laugh." she deadpanned.**_

_**Red eyes only stared at her in confusion.**_

"_**Talking to a rock." she muttered, before she snuck through the front door.**_

**TBWL**

"Ra." Lady breathed, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Remus looked up from his book, frowning at her.

Bakura and Pharaoh had gone off to spar, leaving him and Moony with the teenager once more.

""Should we wake her?""

"No…. I think this is a necessary memory."

""What?""

"I think she needs the memories she's recovering."

""I do not understand.""

"It's…hard to explain."

Lady rolled over, curling up comfortably.

**TSW**

_**Silently, Jess slipped from room to room, searching for anyone that could've helped Roxas.**_

_**The living room was deserted, though the television was shattered and the lamp shade was half hanging in it, testament as to how it had been broken. The only chair, a large, puffy armchair, in the room was overturned, one of the legs snapped off.**_

_**The dining room was a disaster, broken glass lay everywhere, the ornate wood table was cracked and almost all of the chairs were laying on their sides, one of them appeared to have been thrown through the sliding glass door, the only natural source of light in the entire room, the screen lay out on the ground with the remains of the chair a couple of inches away. Jess could see a small fire, slowly dying in the yard beyond the chair, but she couldn't tell what was being used to fuel it.**_

_**As she backed out of the dining room, unable to take her eyes off of the fire, and into the kitchen, she tripped over something and was sent onto her back, her hand landing in something tacky.**_

_**Looking from the reddish brown substance on her hand to the object she'd tripped over, Jess suddenly couldn't believe that she'd missed him.**_

_**Long, red hair was saturated in something, something that Jess desperately hoped wasn't his own blood, and lay over a deeply lashed bare back, and Jess could tell that it wasn't from the belt or its buckle. It looked like a wild animal had gone to town on his back, strips of flesh hanging off and down the sides of his body, soaking through a slashed once-green t-shirt, that was also doing a great job of soaking up the red head's blood.**_

_**Long burn marks covered a small, thin part of his throat, and continued on up his arms, which were both pulled up high enough that they may have been dislocated to get them there and appeared to be drawn on with whatever had caused the throat burn. The scent of stale, burnt flesh made Jess' stomach rebel, and the feeling was only made worse when she saw the everyday steak knife that was plunged hilt deep through both of the boy's hands, one on top of the other.**_

_**With a great deal of effort, Jess controlled her stomach and crawled through the blood and whatever else the poor teenager had lost when he'd been attacked, to pull the knife from his hands, muffling a sob and trying desperately to swallow the bile inching its way up her throat at the way it didn't want to come free, the sound it made when it did.**_

**~Mistress Light? Have you found this Axel you are looking for?~**_** Ra asked.**_

_**Jess closed her eyes, moving back out to the dining room and moving into a corner where she could no longer see the still form of the tortured teenager. "I…I think so. I don't know him." she said hoarsely, a half choked cough coming from her throat as she fought even harder to keep the bile where it belonged, in her stomach. She wasn't even sure if the god could hear her or not.**_

_**Apparently he could, because the phoenix form of Ra was suddenly in the room with her, perched on the broken dining room table between her and the red head she hoped **_**wasn't**_** Axel, because she wasn't even sure how to tell the red head was alive.**_

"_**What do I do?" she squeaked, once she got her stomach under control, through supreme effort and she was quite sure the image would make her vomit regardless once the shock wore off and the horror of what her mind was seeing truly set in.**_

**~Mistress Light. Calm yourself. You can be of no help if you panic.~**

_**Jess tilted her head towards the clean air of the backyard, desperately drawing in breaths of the fresher air. "Calm down?! There's a tortured teenager on the floor of my best friend's kitchen!!" she hissed shrilly. "There is absolutely **_**no**_** reason for me to be calm about this!"**_

**~This boy needs your help, Mistress. And you can't help him, if you are panicking.~**

_**Jess closed her eyes tighter. "I don't even know if he's alive, Ra."**_

**~The boy lives. Osiris has not taken his soul just yet. He is strong and fighting.~**

_**Jess' eyes snapped open in surprise. "That's impossible! The torture-the pain!"**_

**~My Lady!~**_** Ra said sharply. **_**~This boy needs a healer. A doctor.~**

_**Jess nodded quickly. "Right. M-maria. I need to get him to Maria. But-"**_

**~I can help you, if you will let me.~ **_** Ra said soothingly.**_

"_**Yes." Jess practically yelled. "We need to get him to Maria. She can help him. I know she can!"**_

**~I fear you need to be closer to him that two rooms away, Mistress Light.~**

_**Jess paled. "I can't. I can't look at him again! I can't!"**_

**~You are too far away for me to take you back to your home together, Mistress Light. You must get closer, or he may die while I take you.~**

_**Jess muffled a sob. "I can't. I can't. I **_**can't**_**."**_

_**She could feel Ra looking over her small frame. He had to know how much he was asking of her. She was only eight years old! The fact that she wasn't losing her mind and screaming bloody murder trying to claw out her eyes like the women in the horror movies she and her father watched with Demyx was astounding enough, the fact that she was in semi-control of her stomach after what she'd seen, smelled, felt, was even better. He couldn't ask her to have to go through it all again.**_

**~Close your eyes, Mistress Light. I will guide you back to the boy without you needing to look at him a second time, will this suffice?~**

"_**Yes." Jess breathed. "I think."**_

_**Ra guided the eight year old through the broken dining room, through the bloodsoaked kitchen, to the side of the boy still fighting for his life on the kitchen floor. He gave her directions as to where to put her hands, so that it was touching as little blood as possible, but after what she had seen, the memories were enough that the bile was rising in her throat twice as fast as the first time around.**_

_**She was thankful when she felt the heat of Ra's flames reaching out to her and who she hoped was the Axel that had taken such a beating for Roxas.**_

**TSW**

Jess sat up with a gasp.

"Lady?" Remus asked, putting his books aside.

"Don't. I…I'll be back soon." she said, disappearing from the room.

On the tower, she dodged the flying dagger before catching it at the hilt.

"Leave." she commanded.

"Wha-"

"I said, leave Bakura!" she snapped, loosing her temper and consequently, her magic, which then proceeded to slam the thief into the wall.

Bakura staggered to his feet, shaking his head. "What the-"

Yami placed a hand on the other's shoulder, pulling him back to whisper in his ear.

Bakura sneered at the pharaoh, but with a single, lingering glare at Jess, one that tore her anger from her, disappeared.

"I-"

""Do what you will, Leader." Yami muttered, before following his friend, leaving Jess alone and once more angry, this time with herself.

Growling a curse under her breath, she punched the wall.

"RA!"

The sun above her, appeared to grow brighter, trying to stay away from the angry summoner.

"Ra! I'm warning you! I'm not in the mood!"

_~Why so angry, Mistress?~_

The gold phoenix was perched on the roof, looking down at her, his feathers glittering in the autumn sunlight.

"You've known me since I was eight."

Red eyes stared down at her. _~Yes.~ _ he answered.

"Why did you help me recover my memories, Ra?"

_~If you have spent as much time as you say you have, around Pharaoh Atem, you should know that forcing memories to return, after they have been lost naturally as yours were, will only result in a broken mind. You were not ready to remember, and I was unwilling to put your mind at risk.~_

Jess lay her head on the cold stone wall, sighing angrily. "What the hell is happening to me, Ra-sama?"

Ra blinked. _~I do not understand the question.~_

"I'm snapping at everyone and everything, lashing out at the wrong people. Some guy is in Harry's head who says I should know him. Even though Zane is gone…I should feel _something_, his anger, pleasure, whatever…but instead…I only feel this insane, overwhelming _heat_."

_~Your birthday is approaching.~ _ Ra said, in answer.

"Yeah. November Ninth." Jess murmured into the wall. "I'll be twenty." she looked up at the god on the tower roof. "What does that have to do with anything?"

_~You are changing, just like your father before you, and his before him, into the most powerful enemy the Dark One, and many others, has.~_

"What do you…."

_~I am, but a Guide, Mistress Light. Some answers, such as the one you are looking for, must be found out by yourself, if they are to be believed.~_

With that, the sun god was gone, leaving Jess more confused and even angrier than before.

And above it all, the gold dragon circled the school, watching.

"Fucking hell, Ra. Thanks for your help!" she snapped up at the sun.

**TBWL**

Harry used his free Potions period, as 'Snape', had disappeared as swiftly as he appeared, to cross the grounds.

Now, leaning against a tree, on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, he was staring fixedly at the circling gold dragon he shouldn't have been able to see in the first place.

The answer was on the tip of his tongue, what it was, but whenever he tried to remember what it was, it faded back in his mind and the process began again.

"Harry Potter."

"Hey, Bane."

The centaur had grown accustomed to seeing the boy in and on the edge of the forest. Especially during the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"Why do you come here, Harry Potter. It is unsafe for you." Bane asked.

Harry shrugged. "Don't know. The danger factor maybe…."

Bane gave the human an curious look.

"I don't know." Harry whispered. "But something about it calls to me."

"The Forbidden Forest is no place for you, Harry Potter."

Harry closed his eyes and let a smirk play on his lips. "Why do you let me wander, Bane? You hate humans." Bane blinked at the human. "I'm not a fool. I know you follw me when I enter the forest. But not once have you ever made a move to make me leave like you did in my first year." Harry tilted his head, emerald fire flaring in his eyes as he watched the centaur. "Why?"

"You have made no move to harm the Forest or its creatures." Bane stated.

Harry narrowed his eyes on his companion. "Bane-"

"Harry?!"

As silently as he'd approached, Bane left leaving the Gryffindor with Ginny.

"Can I help you?" he asked, annoyed now that the centaur was gone and he'd likely never get his answers.

"S-Seamus said he saw you walking towards the forest after class…." she whispered, blushing.

Harry leveled unreadable green eyes on the younger girl.

_::Harry, Jess wants to see us.::_

_:Coming.:_

"Well, now you found me, and I'm _not_ in the Forest, you can leave me alone." he said tiredly.

"Harry?" Ginny asked quietly, watching him walk past.

"I'm supposed to meet Draco in a couple of minutes." he said, not stopping.

Ginny turned a light shade of red. "Draco." she spat. "Why do you spend so much time with him?"

Harry froze.

"I can understand why before, you were setting up the meetings, but now…its practically running itself and you can spend more time with us now. Your friends."

"I got to know him." Harry said tightly. "He's just as much my friend as you, Ron, and Hermione. Why do you care?"

"What about my brother? I've seen you spend more time with Yugi and Ryou than my brother. Forget about the time that you spend with _Draco_."

Harry closed his eyes, still not turning to look at his friend. _Please go away, Ginny._

"That's not _your_ problem, Ginny. Ron and Hermione know why I spend so much time with them. You obviously don't."

"So, just because he knows, he has to be okay with it?!"

Harry's eyes flashed as he spun to glare at Ginny, he vaguely heard Ginny's breath hitch. "If Ron has such a problem with who I spend my time with, _he_ should be the one complaining to me about it. As I haven't heard anything from him, and you know I would have if he had a problem, he must not be the one with the problem. _You_ are the one with the problem, Ginny. _Not_ Ron. Because I'm not interested in you the way you want me to be, I can't. I've tried to distance myself from you because your _oppressing_ me!" Harry's gaze had become hot enough to sear flesh from bone, and Ginny shrank under his gaze. "Leave me alone for a while, Ginny. I can't date you, but I really wish you'd just take my friendship and stop pushing me for more than that."

Ginny remained frozen as Harry stalked off.

**TBWL**

Draco stood by the tower entrance, waiting for Harry with a frown.

Yami leaned against the stair wall, eyes half-lidded and glazed as he conversed with his lover.

"Harry? What's wrong?" he asked, blinking at the rage in his friend's eyes as the Gryffindor practically stomped up the stairs towards the two of them.

"Ginny." the brunette hissed angrily. Yami looked at him with a raised brow. "Keep her the fuck away from me." he growled, before walking past them both and up the stairs.

Draco growled.

"No, Dragon." Yami said, amused. "You can't touch her. Not until the next Alliance meeting." he stood with a smirk. "In the mean time, enjoy Halloween. Best day of the year to be a Wielder."

**TSS**

Lucifer wasn't amused.

The 'army' that the Dark One had accommodated, couldn't tie their shoes without help. But they _could_ kill seventeen members of the British Army in twelve-seconds flat.

Stupid, but vicious. It was the stupid part that bothered him. They understood no strategy, no plans.

Zorc's army was useless to him.

"**You are displeased, young Lucifer."**

"I'm not impressed with this army of yours."

"That makes two of us." a death eater sneered from where he leaned against the wall, watching the army below them.

"Hussh, Avery." Voldemort snarled.

Avery fell silent.

"**What do you desire, Lucifer. I cannot give you everything you ask for, you understand, but if it is within reason."**

"…. Train them. Make them an army I'm proud of or I will refuse to lead your army any where."

Before Zorc could respond, Lucifer was gone, black jacket swirling behind him.

**TSW**

Jess sat on the roof, watching Harry pace restlessly with amusement.

The only Wielders on the tower was Marik, Harry, and Draco.

Bakura and Yami weren't talking to her, not after the way she'd attacked Bakura. And she certainly didn't blame them either. She knew that she'd taken her anger out on the two of them. She'd never even so much as snapped at Bakura before. If anyone, it was Shadi, that normally dealt with her anger and rage at the world. The elder's eternal patience made it that much easier for the others.

Shaking her head, she leapt to the ground.

"Stop pacing." she commanded with a grin. "I'm gonna enjoy teaching this to you."

Draco raised a brow at her enthusiasm, considering the way that Yami and Bakura appeared to be avoiding her, he would think that she was extremely angry. "What now?"

"You're going to learn to summon."

Malik split from Marik and whispered to him.

Jess frowned when Marik's expression darkened.

"**Jess. Go and talk to Bakura. He's scaring the lunch students."** he snapped.

Jess flinched and looked away. **"I'm aware of that."** she whispered.

"**And I'm aware that you're aware, Jess. But that doesn't change the fact that you're **_**letting**_** him. Go and deal with this. Now."**

With a sigh, Jess looked at Harry and Draco, hesitating.

"**Stop stalling, Jess."** Malik said.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, Jess disappeared from the tower. "Make sure they can summon Kuriboh." she commanded before the shadows even cleared.

Draco smirked and looked at Marik. "So, what was that about?"

"She and 'kura haven't talked to one another in almost two hours. It's pissing Bakura off, so we'll deal with it before he attacks someone."

"He'd do that, wouldn't he." Harry muttered dryly. "It seems that you're more worried about the relationship between Jess and Bakura, than the safety of the students."

"We are." Malik answered. "Marik may be the most unstable of us, Bakura is the second most dangerous."

"Second only to Jess." Draco guessed.

"Yeah." Malik said before standing and walking towards the two. "Now, to begin your next lesson, I have been asked to teach you to summon-"

"Kree!"

What could only be described as a furball with eyes leapt on Malik's head. A deep chuckle heralded the arrival of Yami, who watched the creature with a detached sort of amusement.

"Damn you, Yami!" Malik screamed, holding the furball away from his face with great difficulty.

Marik was laughing maniacally, leaning heavily against the stone wall and gasping for breath.

Yami smirked at Malik.

"Come Kuri, leave Malik-chan alone."

"Chan?!"

Kuri left Malik's face to rub against Yami's leg, purring like a kitten.

"What…is that?"

"Kuri is Yami's Kuriboh. I don't think I've ever seen it act that way with anyone else." Malik groused, annoyed.

"And you never will." Yugi said, splitting to Kuriboh's other side. "Even before I was aware of Yami, Kuri and Mahaad were the two that kept him from doing anything stupid."

Yami knelt to scratch Kuri's head. "Kuriboh's one of the weakest monsters in my deck, but both the duel and Shadow abilities make him one of my favorites." Yami said. "Because of his lower attack points and star number, he's one of the easier monsters to summon, which is why you're starting with it."

"Just because you can summon a monster doesn't mean you have to. Its easier to summon a monster in your deck because you can channel it through the card." Malik added, still giving Yami dark looks.

Harry winced.

Yami held up an opened envelope. "Pegasus sent this. Apparently he has something for Harry. We'll get it tonight. For now, you're going to practice without cards until your next class."

Draco and Harry exchanged looks.

"Don't do that." Marik admonished. "It'll be fun, I promise."

_:Somehow…that doesn't make me feel better in the least.:_ Harry said quietly.

_::Not coming from him it doesn't.::_ Draco agreed.

**TSW**

_#Yami…what's wrong?#_ Ryou asked, tentative to draw Bakura's anger to him.

_##It's nothing, yadunoshi.##_ Bakura snapped.

_#Bullshit, Bakura. What happened on the tower?#_

Ryou had more than expected Bakura to lash out at him, he'd been pushing for that very reason, because Bakura talked to him when he beat him. He just hadn't expected the amount of force behind it that he actually put into it.

_##Dammit Ryou! I said it was nothing!##_

With a yelp, Ryou retreated, slamming and locking his soul room door.

The wounds on his arms, only visible here as a testament to the damage his yami had inflicted on his mind and soul.

Curling in a corner, he closed his eyes and began to heal them the best he could, wishing suddenly he was able to contact Yami with his door closed.

**TSW**

Jess watched Bakura's scowl fro a long few minutes before she entered the Great hall.

'_**Thief-sama.'**_

_**##I'm not talking to you, Light. Get out.##**_

'_**But-'**_

_**##Light. Get. Out. Now. I'm not in the mood to deal with you.##**_

Jess closed her eyes, swallowing heavily. _**'Thief-sama. What did you do?'**_

_**##It's none of your concern.##**_ Bakura answered, voice emotionless, defensive.

'…_**please, don't tell me you attacked Healer because you were pissed at me.'**_

Bakura was silent.

Jess growled. _**'I was going to apologize to you. But now I think Healer deserves it more.'**_

Jess turned and left quickly, searching out the other who wasn't talking to her.

**TSW**

'_**Hikari!'**_

_**/What Light?/**_

Jess winced. The Wielders only called her Light when they were upset with her. Which meant that Yugi wasn't happy with her either. It also meant that Yami was less likely to be in a more sharing mood than Bakura was.

'_**Look, I can already tell that you're pissed at me. But since Pharaoh's blocking me, you'll need to pass the message on.'**_

_**/What message?/**_

'_**I think Thief may have lashed out at Healer. His door is locked and I can't nab Thief, he's in the middle of class.'**_

_**/…we'll take care of it. Come back to the Tower./**_

'_**Thank you…. And I really am sorry, Hikari. I didn't mean to lash out at Pharaoh like I did.'**_

_**/Hm./**_

**TSS**

Lucifer smirked, blocking Anubis' blade with his own.

"You're not half as fast as you brag, Vampire." the other sneered.

"And that's because you're very slow." Lucifer answered dryly. "I need a challenge." he growled, eyes bleeding black.

The last thing Anubis saw was the Tainted Double Blade connected with his sword arm before he was thrown into a wall and blacked out.

**TSS**

"**What were you thinking?"**

Lucifer shrugged. "Wasn't." he drawled, trailing amber eyes over the black spector over Voldemort's throne.

"**This will not be tolerated, Lucifer, this disregard for your fellow generals."**

"He challenged me and he lost, Dark One. What damage they take in battle is not my concern. Not as long as they are my opponent." Lucifer responded coldly.

"**Vampire, you are treading on thin ice. Do not press me."** Zorc snarled.

A defiant smirk flickered across Lucifer's lips. "Oh? You, Dark One, can't yet touch me. You _need_ me and I only follow you because our goals are the same, not because I fear or respect you."

Voldemort raised his wand. "You, foolish vampire. You _will_ respect the Master."

"**Tom."** Zorc cut in. **"Let's not anger our guest. Not when he is still so willing to work with us."**

"…yes, Master."

"Ass kisser." Lucifer sneered in disgust. "You disgust me."

Bellatrix and Narcissa gasped on either side of the Dark Lord's throne.

"You dare." Bellatrix screeched. "You dare speak to the Dark Lord in such a manner."

Lucifer flashed his fangs at her. "This place is full of them." he hissed. "Alert me when my army is up to par, Dark One."

The four watched the half vampire leave the room.

"**We must keep a closer eye on him, Tom."** Zorc said quietly.

"Of coursse, father." Voldemort murmured quietly.

**TSW**

Deep in the Dungeons of Hogwarts, the Wielders had discovered a large room, that had once been the Slytherin dormitories. It was untouched by the House Elves of Hogwarts, covered in dust and slime in some places.

Cobwebs hung in thick layers in the corners. Water dripped from the walls to drain into god-knew where.

Now, Jess stood in the middle of the room, cloak draped over the door out of the way. Spells left her lips in such succession that they seemed to blend together.

Light flooded the disaster of a room, allowing her to see what she was doing as she single-handedly tackled the mess.

A random idea had come to her, as she watched Lucius Malfoy twitch beneath Yukina's gentle hands. The room they had placed him in, was getting smaller and smaller, as new injuries arose.

Pansy Parkinson now spent sleepless nights laying on the couch, watching Yukina, who was only around about half the time. No one pressured the Demon Healer as to where she went as long as she didn't stray beyond the castle wards and didn't come back fatally injured.

The room down here was going unused, the beds collecting dust. It was out of the way and unlikely to be discovered. The water still ran and there was a rather large bathroom two doors down, that again, was unlikely to be used by the rest of the school.

The lack of sufficient light in the hallways leading to it, made it the perfect place to set deterrents. And for the Wielders to move about unseen, even without the cloaks.

So, while Yami was helping Ryou, and none of the Wielders willing to hold a pleasant conversation with her, Jess began to clean it.

Cobwebs shriveled up into dust, slime thinned until it mixed with the water that was dripping down the walls, draining with it.

Once that was done, Jess began to manually get rid of the thick layers of dust that covered the beds, beating out the mattresses.

Insects were easily taken care of by a few of the bird creatures she'd summoned from the Shadow Realm. She was deliberately ignoring the crunches that came with them.

It total, there were seven rooms off it, with twelve beds in each, testament that the school was once much more populated. A large room, which Jess planned on giving to Yukina, had a cupboard large enough to hold up to three hundred and seventy-nine potion bottles, could be used as well, seeing as Ryou had nine boxes of potions on his own and Bakura at least doubled it in his spare time alone, add Fox's and it would fill up a good three-fourths of the cupboard.

The place was the perfect hospital.

On her seventy-third bed, Jess paused and looked around, remembering a similar occurrence. When they'd found the abandoned mansion seven years ago. The one that on Halloween night, Seto and Seth had risen, giving them the greatest addition to their fight.

Additions that how lay in ruins in the once again abandoned mansion.

Tears filled her eyes, and she closed them, desperate to hold her composure, just in case one of the others began to look for her.

"_**Dammit Jess! That was my head!" Malik mock-growled.**_

_**Thirteen year old Jess, dressed in the oldest, most battered clothes she owned, stuck her tongue out at the once blond. Now, he sported a pale blue head, the paint still dripping from his hair.**_

"_**I don't know, Malik. It looks pretty good on you." Bakura cut in with a smirk.**_

"_**Oh really?" Malik grinned, an evil smirk lighting up his features. "In that case…."**_

_**Bakura blinked, unsure of **_**what**_** exactly had happened, but both he and Jess were drenched in the bright yellow paint that had once been in Malik's hands.**_

"_**Oh. This. Means. War." Jess growled.**_

"_**Bring it on, Sunshine." Malik grinned.**_

Jess shook herself, ridding herself of the memory. _It was my own fault. I took my anger out on Bakura, and I'll deal with the silent treatment for as long as I need to._ she thought. _In the long run, we'll still be able to work together…._

Sniffling once, she set back to work, promising herself she'd get sheets and some paint from a store in the area.

**TSW**

Bakura growled when Yami slammed him against the wall of an empty corridor. "What do you want, pharaoh?" he snarled.

Yami said nothing, but crimson eyes sparked in remembrance. The eye of Ra appeared on his forehead and he shoved his way past the Ring's barrier and into the pathway between the minds of Ryou and Bakura.

Bakura fell limp and followed.

"Pharaoh! This is against our agreement." he snarled.

_**//Our agreement was made void the moment you lashed out at your hikari, Thief.//**_ Yami answered, walking past the open door that led to Bakura's soul room and towards the brighter area of the tomb-like walls. At the sight of the door, which was bright with Ryou's magic, all put forth to keeping the two yam's out, Yami turned viciously on Bakura.

_**//How much power did you put behind your attack, Thief?! He's **_**scared**_** of you!//**_

"I don't know!" Bakura screamed. "He was bugging me about what happened on the tower. I wouldn't tell him and he wouldn't stop asking."

_**//So you **_**attacked**_** your **_**hikari**_**!//**_

"I said I don't fucking know, Yami. All I remember is telling him to fuck off and he was in pain and then he was gone."

Yami's crimson eyes flashed in annoyance and disappointment. Sighing, he turned and began to walk back towards Bakura's soul room. _**//Either tear it down or get him to do it. Preferably the latter.//**_

"And what are you doing?" Bakura asked suspiciously.

_**//Checking on the only section of your mind that has ever left you with vague memories of your life. And depending on what I find….//**_ he trailed off, sure that Bakura got the message. _**//And then, we're both going to find Jess. I want to know what pissed her off so much that she'd attack her brother.//**_

"Got it." Bakura murmured dully, only a hint of his past anger present now, and all of it now directed at himself. "Dammit." he hissed punching the wall.

**TSW**

It was rare, for a Wielder to enter another's soul room, even with permission. The act took a great deal of trust on both sides to be considered even remotely safe. Though, being who he was, Yami was considered the expert in finding, opening, and interpreting the soul rooms of others, the other Wielders kept his abilities in mind when they protected their own from outsiders, for if they could keep _him_ out, or at least give the Master of Minds a challenge, then _no one_ could get past their protections.

As Yami walked through Bakura's door and was met with none of the traps that he knew Bakura had lying in wait in the darkness of the sand floor of a Kul Elna home, its torches flaring as soon as he stepped foot in the room, illuminating the filthy walls, he relaxed for several moments before he took a collective 'breath' and moved beyond the safety of the cover chamber of Bakura's soul room.

He'd only been beyond this room, into the thief's real soul room twice before. Once when he and Marik had bound the yearly dwindling/rising control that the Dark One'd had to an unused room in Bakura's mind and soul. The second, when he and Ryou had searched for the thief when he'd entered one of his more severe 'emo' moments.

Yami could correctly say that he knew Bakura's mind as well as, or as close to it, as the thief himself.

Cautiously, Yami walked past the rather uncomfortable looking cot in the corner, towards one of two doors off the main room.

Both led to a maze similar to Yami's, though the pharaoh's held less doors than the thief's and held more pathways, reminiscent to the various roads their lives had taken since they were born.

Along the way, traps were set and at any point in time, Diabound could and likely would attack you for entering his master's mind.

Bakura had very little control over the basic defense of his mind, the Soul Creature, Diabound, but Yami was counting very heavily on his friend to keep him safe, considering how difficult it was to summon in another's mind.

There was nothing between him and the Thief God otherwise.

**TBWL**

Harry was quiet, as he stared at the red furball that was his Kuriboh.

After Yami and Kuri had left, Yugi, Malik, and Marik had drilled them in the steps for summoning a Shadow Creature.

When he got annoyed at the lack of actual effort, Marik had threatened to throw them off the tower, and Harry didn't doubt that the psycho would do it.

So, after History of Magic, Draco and Harry skipped the first twenty minutes of lunch to practice, and hopefully, keep their feet firmly planted on the tower where they belonged.

Which resulted in Harry's current problem.

They had no idea as to how to send it back.

So, half an hour later, he was still here, having missed lunch and late to Charms, waiting on the crazy ass yami to help him.

Marik arrived, eventually, and smirked at the Kuriboh, now hunting through Harry's bag for who-knew-what. "Having fun?" he asked cheerfully.

"They're curious creatures." Harry responded dryly.

"They're vicious though, I assure you." Marik said, his smirk growing.

Harry shrugged, glaring over at his 'tutor'. "So how do I send it back?"

Marik chuckled. "Do you remember how you summoned it?"

"Not really. I was talking to Draco and it appeared."

Marik tilted his head. "Well, that rules out that possibility…." he mused.

"What possibility?"

"The one where you reverse what you felt to send it back to the Shadow Realm."

"Ah…." Harry said, though the comment made about as much sense as his Potions class did.

Marik eyed the Kuriboh, who was rolling around the ground with one of Harry's quills between its little claws, content for the moment with its new toy. "I suppose, I can either send it back for you, or you can hold onto it until you and Draco can go over what you were feeling at that particular point in time and we can work from there."

Harry shook his head. "I don't have the time. Just…send it back for me." he said tiredly.

Marik frowned at his 'pupil', before he banished the creature, counting on the fact that Harry wasn't paying enough attention to miss the Kuriboh's new toy too much. "What's buggin' you?"

"I have no idea." Harry groaned, flinging himself back onto the stone floor, shoving his stuff back into his bag. "I just…feel exhausted. Like I would be after a vision, but…I normally remember them and I'm not now."

"And I take it Yami hasn't done much for you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. He's been looking but…."

"He hasn't found anything." Marik finished with a nod of understanding.

"Have you tried internal protection?" Seth's voice asked even before he materialized in front of the two Wielders.

"I have no idea."

"Yami disregarded it. We have no one to stay in his mind for long periods of time." Yugi answered for them, the shadows he'd arrived in blowing into the wind.

Seth frowned. "That leaves you with a bit of a problem."

Seto materialized beside his yami. "Has anyone seen Jess lately?"

"No." Yugi said shortly. "Not since this morning."

"Well, Seth and I can't find her."

"Where's Bakura?" Marik asked.

"Room of Shadows." Seto answered. "We found him passed out in one of the halls with Yami. I believe Yami is worrying about Jess' worry about Ryou."

"…. Have you checked the dungeons?" Yugi asked suddenly.

"What?"

"That room we found at the beginning of the year." Yugi explained. "I don't think we ever decided what we were going to do with it, just that it wasn't in use by the school and it was out of the way if we were ever found out. I don't think the staff even remembers its there. Serpentine certainly didn't."

"Show me where it is." Seto demanded with a frown.

Yugi shrugged at the demand, and his solidity melted away, shifting from solid to spirit in seconds.

Grabbing his once-rival's wrist, the two left the tower.

**TSW**

Jess, they found, was passed out on the floor of a much cleaner room than the one that they'd found all those months ago.

Her eyes flickered beneath her eyelids.

Yugi knelt at her side, brow furrowed as he shifted to his more solid form.

"Yugi." Seto said sharply. "Get her off the floor."

Yugi nodded distantly and gently pulled his leader into his arms and onto one of the cleaner mattresses.

"What's wrong with her, Yugi?"

"Yami and I…we think she's remembering." Yugi whispered, brushing back fringes of her long hair.

**TSW**

_**Jess flinched as she and Axel landed, even with her eyes closed, she could feel the blood flowing past her fingers as wounds opened anew. She withdrew her hand almost immediately, stumbling blindly back until she hit the metal form of the Shadow God, wrapping her not blood covered hand around the appendage she found there..**_

_**Ra, now in his larger form, folded himself so that he could watch the boy curiously, apparently not at all bothered by Jess attaching herself to his talon. **_**~I am surprised that a mortal can sustain such damage and still live. This Maria, she can help him heal?~**

"_**She used to be a healer. She's retired now." she whispered, before she released Ra and rolled over to finally purge her stomach of everything she'd eaten earlier that day.**_

**~Mistress?~**

"_**Jessica Heather Black!" an older, female voice yelled angrily. "Where have-oh my heavens!"**_

_**Jess coughed, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. "Maria!" she gasped, sitting up and finally opening her eyes. Maria would make things better. "C-can you help him?"**_

_**Maria knelt beside the young man that Jess had brought in. "I have no idea. This boy is…mutilated."**_

"_**But he's a friend of Roxas'. We have to help him!"**_

_**Maria frowned at the body of the young man. "Jess I have no idea if I can help him."**_

**~Mistress, I may be able to assist in easing his suffering, if you like.~**

_**Jess frowned up at the large phoenix-like creature. "We're not going to kill him!"**_

_**Ra stared down at her. **_**~Mistress, that may be the best thing we can do for him now.~**

_**Jess shook her head. "After everything I went through…everything Roxas went through and this guy went through for them…."**_

_**Maria's eyes softened on the girl. "I'll do what I can, Jessica, but I make no promises."**_

_**Ra's eyes drifted over the two human females and the young male he had just helped transport to the seaside cottage of his mistress. **_**~Mistress, I believe I may be able to help commence his healing, but I will need your assistance.~**

"_**Anything." Jess answered confidently.**_

_**A soft, yet bright golden glow spread around Ra's large form, starting at the chest area of the magnificent creature, then his form began to shrink. When the shrinking stopped and the glow disappeared, the small phoenix form was perched on the ground behind Jess.**_

_**Hopping closer to the red headed teen, he leaned over his chest, red eyes peering at the burn marks on his arms. **_**~Please give me your arm, Mistress Light.~ **_** he said, turning his head in the way only a bird can, to look at the eight year old.**_

_**Without hesitation, Jess offered the phoenix her wrist and the not-bird stepped on carefully, as she had no protection from his sharp talons. "What now?"**_

**~Elevate me over his chest, please, Mistress.~**_** As Jess complied, she felt **_**something**_** pulling from beneath her skin, like tiny little pebbles rolling beneath the skin up her torso and down her arm to where Ra rested, unusually light for a bird of his size, on her wrist, reddish-white pearl-sized tears dropped from his eyes and down the sharp, feather-like metal, and landed on the skin, which then appeared to scorch itself beneath the skin, without leaving a mark behind but the small trail of smoke that rose into the air and dispersed.**_

_**Axel shifted uncomfortably, but the burns and the torn skin on his back began to heal. Three tears fell, before Ra stretched his wings and launched himself from Jess' arm into the air, breaking the connection with her and she nearly took a header into the chest of the boy he had just helped to begin to heal. The phoenix circled her head several times, appearing to watch her for several moments before she was able to get herself together and he landed on her shoulder.**_

**~Do you feel alright, Mistress?~**

"_**Wha-what was that?" she gasped, feeling as if she'd been submerged in the Caribbean ocean behind them both for too long and her lungs called desperately for air she couldn't bring into her body fast enough.**_

**~I am not a real phoenix, nor do I have the necessary bodily functions to create the tears of one. So I drew on your power as my summoner and created them with that. I am afraid that, while they are more powerful than any other's, I cannot create anymore without severe risk to you and your well being. I can heal him no further.~**

_**Maria was staring at the two of them, mouth open wide. "My lords…." she breathed.**_

_**Jess swallowed heavily, now even more naetious than she had been minutes earlier. "I don't feel so great, Maria…."**_

**~You will likely feel weak. And your vomiting likely did not help your situation. You should get inside, Mistress. Dark things linger in the night around a wielder of the Sacred Shadows.~**

_**Ra took off from her shoulder once more and proceeded to begin glowing again, before exploding into a rainbow of different colors and shades and was gone. **_**~Until next time, Mistress Light.~**

_**Jess was struck silent, staring at the place in the air where Ra had once been before she turned her attention to helping Maria gather the red headed torture victim into the house.**_

**TSW**

Yami walked out into the room that held the locked pieces of Zorc, the part of the Dark One that had once bound Bakura to his servitude.

The pulsing black rock-like thing, seemed to jump out to attack him.

"**Pharaoh."**

_**//Zorc.//**_ Yami sneered.

"**So, you're not as foolish as you appear."**

_**//Don't piss us off, Zorc. Here, you're not even half as powerful as you normally would be in the mind of a puppet. Guardian and I made sure of that.//**_

"**Too bad it doesn't work in the outside, world, isn't it. Such an easy win that would be for you." **the rock-Zorc said coolly.

_**//It doesn't have to. This is to keep you away from Bakura. Out of trouble in a place you shouldn't be in the first place.//**_

"**Annoyed, are we, Pharaoh?"**

_**//No.//**_

"**That's too bad, I was looking forward to seeing you out of control. Oh well, perhaps at a later date."**

_**//Not so long as you intend to take Bakura with you, Zorc. He is with his family now and you can't quite so easily turn him against us now.//**_

Zorc chuckled darkly at the challenge. **"So says you, Yami. I suppose, we shall see."**

Yami snarled as the rock appeared to stretch outward, towards him and the cloth covered doorway behind him. _**//You forget that we're in **_**my**_** domain, Dark One. The Thief King backs **_**me**_** here, because he has more to protect now. He has something he wishes to care for.//**_

"**No one has more of a hold in Bakura's mind than I do, Pharaoh. Not even his pest of a hikari."**

_**//You're wrong, Zorc. Ryou's hold on Bakura is stronger even than my own can ever be.//**_ Yami responded, his power lashing at the black rock, pushing it back to the far side of the room, where it had originated, and further binding Zorc to his prison.

"**PHARAOH!! Do you not want to know why my hold is returning?!" **The Dark One screamed, desperate to end the painful occurance of his binding, and partially fearful of the clear power that Yami held, even in the mind of another. **"Are you not worried for his friends. For his other allies?!"**

Yami was unsympathetic. _**//I already know why Zorc. Do not attempt to speak with him again. Do not attempt to take him. Both you, and your stronger part will fall. One, right after the other.//**_

"**Fool! Do not underestimate my physical form! The Wielders of the Items will-"**

Yami stared at the cold black stone for a moment longer, before he swept from the room and back into the maze that was Bakura's mind.

_The stronger seal will not hold for more than a few months…and I'm not sure if the lesser one will hold once it falls. We need to hurry._

**TSW**

_**Two days later, Jess was escorted to the hospital, away from the bed of Roxas, with her father and a lawyer.**_

_**As promised, Maria had told both of her parents, and while her father was displeased with her because she'd left the house and returned to her friend's home alone, he hadn't punished her, feeling that the condition she'd found Axel in, was punishment enough.**_

_**Her mother refused to speak with her now. Marlene took her meals in her chambers. Whenever Jess entered a room, Marlene would leave without a word to her or any of the other room's occupants.**_

_**It was likely a good thing that the family didn't have too many outside visitors.**_

_**Roxas was recovering well, his wounds however, would likely scar.**_

_**Axel, however, despite all of Jess, Regulus, and Maria's tries and patience, was still in the critical stages of his injuries. He had gotten better only in the sense that he wasn't dead yet. The red head was clinging to life with a tenacity that Jess had never seen before.**_

_**Regulus put a hand on Jess' shoulder and steered her towards Demyx's room. The lawyer following a respectful distance behind them.**_

_**Demyx looked up sharply, a fearful glint in his eyes, when the door opened and Jess flew into the room. "Demyx!"**_

"_**Jess?"**_

_**Jess paused before she loosely hugged her friend. "How do you feel, Demyx?" she asked quietly.**_

"_**Pained." Demyx said, smiling weakly at Regulus, but it faultered when the lawyer entered, closing the door behind him.**_

"_**Sir?" Demyx whispered fearfully.**_

"_**Your father was killed a couple of days ago, Demyx-kun." Regulus said, perching himself regally on one of the chairs beside the bed. "This man is your father's lawyer. He has some things to speak with you about your father's desires."**_

"_**You mean…his will?" Demyx asked. "I didn't know he had one."**_

"_**Oh, he had one, young sir. And it states that you and your brother are to go to Mr. Black's care until another relative can be found, provided that he can give you a stable home environment."**_

_**Demyx gapped at the man before Jess reached over and closed his mouth with a giggle.**_

"_**But, my father has no relatives…." Demyx whispered. "Does that mean that I, I mean we, get to stay with Regulus-sama?"**_

"_**Unless a long lost relative comes forward, yes." the lawyer answered, standing. "Mr. Black, there are a few papers hat you'll need to sign."**_

"_**Of course." Regulus replied, standing. "Jess, we'll be down the hall. Do not leave the room."**_

"_**Yes father." Jess answered.**_

_**Regulus nodded once and he lead the lawyer out of the room, leaving Jess alone with her friend.**_

**TBWL**

Hermione knelt beside Pansy, who was shivering on the floor, her upper body hanging over the toilet.

"Pansy? Are you feeling alright?" Ginny asked, running her fingers through sweat soaked hair. She winced when the Slytherin dry heaved once more.

Hermione glanced at the vial the Slytherin girl had left on the vanity when they'd arrived.

She had a feeling they both knew why Pansy was so sick. And she hoped to all her gods and the ones the Wielders believed in that she was wrong.

**TSW**

Yami walked calmly out of Bakura's soul room, becoming increasingly aware that the time for the Wielders' dinner appearance as approaching, and Jess and Bakura still weren't on speaking terms.

The thief in question was leaning against the wall outside of Ryou's soul room, his hikari was pulled tightly against his side. Both appeared to be resting.

_**//Don't be too long, Thief, Healer. We have another appearance to make.//**_

"Get out of here, Yami." Bakura groused, although, it was off set a bit by the smile that tugged at his lips.

Yami chuckled at the thief's obvious relief that he hadn't done too much damage to his relationship with Ryou.

Tapping into what little connection remained between his body and his mind, he returned to the real world.

**TSW**

Green eyes watched Yami like a hawk, awaiting the moment that the Pharaoh's eyes opened.

Harry was aware that skipping most of his classes wasn't going to lighten his work load any, but at the moment, it wasn't quite the top thing on his list.

Draco had fallen asleep, the book he'd been reading was slipping off his stomach and would soon be on the floor.

Draco was skipping his last two classes of the day to sleep before they all would go to dinner.

Looking back at Yami, he jumped slightly when he found the Pharaoh sitting up and watching him in concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I hate Halloween." Harry murmured.

"That's not what you're worried about." Yami observed.

Harry snorted. "Not by a long shot."

Yami waited patiently.

"I…feel everything, Yami. I don't see you, or Draco over there, anymore. Half the time I see you as a deep amber, almost brown. Draco's a blue so pale that it could be silver."

"You're seeing power. Emotions." Yami spoke slowly, watching Harry. "And in a way, that's different than how Yugi and Ryou see them."

"Different how?" Harry asked weakly, throwing his hands up. "How many changes am I going to go through?!"

Yami wordlessly raised a brow.

"I-I'm sorry." Harry whispered, looking away from the older man.

"Harry. Are you having trouble with something?" he asked.

Harry winced.

"You are." Yami pressed, leaning forward to get a better look at Harry. "What's wrong?"

"Everytime….I successfully do something with Shadow Magic, my other magic gets weaker. I can't use half of the spells I used to. And…my patronus is changing."

Yami sighed. "You need to talk to Marik. He's our outside magic specialist. He'd know more than I do."

Harry stood and paced. "What the hell is wrong with me?!" he screamed, making Draco sit up quickly in alarm.

Yami sat calmly, watching Harry's ire rise when he didn't answer. With a snarl, Harry's clenched fist slammed into the wall behind him. His anger fled when the wall cracked and the pieces disappeared into the cause of his shock.

The swirling mass of Shadow Magic that surrounded it.

"What you both don't understand," Yami said behind him. "Is what it means to be a Shadow wielder. To close off your emotions not for your own sake, but for the sake of the people around you. To keep them safe. Shadow Magic, much more sensitive than your magic, responds to emotions, fabricated or otherwise."

"That tells me nothing, Yami." Harry snapped weakly.

"Doesn't it?" Yami countered. "While I can't tell you why your magic is draining, Harry, I can tell you why the other changes are occurring. Because you're open to them. You're open to the abilities given to you. That are awakening in you. Something about your past is looking to your body and new magic for comfort. And your desire for comfort is spawning your abilities, awakening them…." And understanding light came to Yami's eyes. "Fucking hell." he hissed.

"What?" Draco asked, warily.

"I know what you are…." Yami whispered. "I get it."

A swirl of shadows later, and Yami was gone, leaving the two teenagers with a still unconscious Bakura and even more confused than before.

**TBWL**

"What does he get?" Harry growled, ignoring Draco's presence for the moment. "What am I?"

_Royalty._ Draco thought. _But what was it that sparked the memory? The knowledge? Was it his abilites? His reactions? Or something else?_

**TBWL**

"Pharaoh." Albus greeted, tiredly, watching the Wielder approach the bars.

The Great Hall was empty, but for it's three captives, Alastor and himself all sat at the table closest to the doors. Dolores had tired herself out, both magically and physically, trying to get past the warded stone bars.

Once she had blown a window open, and Hogwarts itself seemed against her, as bars had appeared there, preventing the occurance from happening a second time, while Hogwarts fixed the window.

Now, she was slumped in her seat at the Head Table, glaring viciously at Pharaoh as he approached.

"Let us outo f here this instant." she growled.

"Shut up, Hag. I have no business with you at this time." Pharaoh hissed.

"Pharaoh?" Albus questioned. "What can I do for you?"

Pharaoh sneered. "What gave you the idea I wanted to talk to _you_, Headmaster?"

Albus blinked.

"I wanted to speak with Moody."

"Well, I don't speak with people who threaten me." Alastor growled.

"Oh dear…." Pharaoh murmured. "Perhaps I wasn't clear." The golden eye glowed brightly on the Wielder's hood. "Come _here_." he commanded forcefully, making the students passing through on the way in from Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, to fall to their knees in submission. It was sheer force of will that professors in the Great Hall didn't follow suit.

"…as you wish." Alastor said gruffly.

"Good man." Pharaoh sneered.

**TSW**

"_**Nocturne?" Jess asked quietly. "Are you really okay?"**_

"_**How? How could I let my father do this to my brother? Why…didn't I fight harder? Protect him better?"**_

"_**But this isn't your fault, Nocturne. Even you can only take so much before you break." Jess said quietly.**_

_**Demyx only continued to look at Roxas.**_

"_**Father says he could wake up this afternoon. That's when the po-pain killers wear off."**_

"_**Regulus-sama's too kind to us." Demyx whispered. "Much too kind."**_

"_**Hey…Nocture…." Jess started softly. "Who's Axel?"**_

_**Demyx turned on her swiftly, hissing out what breath remained in his lungs. "How did you find out about him?" he growled.**_

_**Jess flinched, drawing away from the angry blond. "I-I found him on the kitchen floor at your house when I was looking for Roxas. I-I'm sorry."**_

_**Demyx shook his head. "Don't be…. Axel's been living illegally with us for a few years. Roxas and I found him in the streets when we were younger. On one of my father's business trips, we snuck him in, pooling the money we earned from doing odd jobs to keep him fed. Our extra money was put into fixing the unused basement into a bedroom."**_

_**Jess looked away. **_**That explains why Roxas wore those clothes the first time we met. He was spending all of his money on Axel.**

"_**He's two years older than me, and you can guess that he wasn't happy with the charity. He went to school with us, getting into more and more fights. My father never knew about him. But very soon, Axel found out about the abuse. Just as you did. Roxas began getting closer and closer to Axel, and once, Roxas went down limping so bad that Axel refused to let him come back up for three hours. I took one hell of a beating for that."**_

"_**He found out, didn't he." Jess whispered. "Your father found out about Axel."**_

"_**Yup. The day Axel called the hospital for me, he was found."**_

"_**I think he stood up for Roxas." Jess blurted out.**_

"_**What makes you say that?" Demyx asked.**_

"_**He-" Jess shuddered, feeling the bile rise as the memory rose in her mind. "His hands were pinned to the floor with a kitchen knife…."**_

"_**Is he alright?"**_

"_**He…he hasn't woke up yet. But Maria's trying her best."**_

"_**Can I see him?"**_

"_**I…I don't think that's a good idea, Nocturne. But…I can ask Maria and my dad."**_

"_**Jessica!"**_

"_**Coming Maria!" Jess shouted back. She looked at Demyx. "I'm glad you're okay…. I hope Axel gets better too." she said, before running out of the room.**_

**TSW**

Jess twitched violently.

"Jess…. What are you seeing?"

**TSW**

_**Nine year old Jess lay on the couch in the still healing red head's room, avoiding said red head's curious gaze.**_

"_**Jess, what's your problem?" Roxas asked, amused, from where he lay beside Axel.**_

"_**Nothing." Jess said, blushing.**_

_**Roxas glanced at Axel, before smirking slowly.**_

"_**It's nothing, **_**Roxy**_**." Jess snarled before standing and bolting from the room.**_

_**Demyx dodged her quickly, blinking after the younger girl.**_

_**When Jess locked herself in her room, she was surprised to find her father perched on her bed.**_

"_**Father?"**_

"_**First crush, huh?" he smiled warmly.**_

_**Jess blushed. "Um…."**_

"_**I won't pry, Jess. I'm here to speak with you about your guardian."**_

"_**Wha-?"**_

"_**You are my heir, the locket has chosen you as such."**_

"_**The…locket?" Jess asked, sitting beside her father, crossing her legs underneath her.**_

"_**Mmhm." Regulus took up the cane with the golden ankh on the top of it, wrapping around the ankh was a small locket. **_

_**A locket with a golden ankh in the serpent's mouth.**_

"_**Why don't you wear it, Father?" Jess asked.**_

"_**Because it is no longer my right to do so." He answered. "It is only the right of the Guardian."**_

"_**What Guardian? Father what's wrong?" Jess asked, the sorrowful glint in her father's eye making her worry.**_

"_**Jess, do you remember, when you were four and you met Maria for the first time?"**_

"_**Yes, father." Jess whispered. "You told me that I had been in a coma for almost two weeks."**_

"_**Correct." Regulus said with a nod. "You had come in contact with my locket. That is when I stopped wearing it."**_

"_**What does this mean?"**_

"_**The locket will be yours on your twentieth birthday. And, with it will come the Black family legacy."**_

"_**Legacy, father? What's our legacy?"**_

"_**Before we moved to England, the Blacks resided in Egypt. There, we commanded more respect than the Gods, as we protected them, able to summon forth embodiments of them to protect Egypt. Eventually a war broke out between two brothers and the Gods, Set and Osiris, were locked in battle for twenty-three years."**_

"_**On the day the New Year began, our ancestor, gave birth to a son. On the boy's fourth birthday, his mother presented him with a locket, created by Thoth himself. This locket, gave the boy abilities beyond any of the Blacks before him. His name, Rudga, is engraved into the locket and cannot be forged."**_

"_**What happened to him?" Jess asked, as always, enthralled by her father's story.**_

"_**On his twenty-second birthday, Rudga happened upon the fighting Gods. Anger and hatred for humanity was, by now, prominent in their eyes, and Rudga believed that if they were not stopped, the Gods would turn their fury on humanity." Regulus looked at his daughter's eyes, lit up by passion of the story, he smiled and continued. "So, he took up his amulet and called down the Father of all Gods to put a stop to both battles. The locket, used only that once grew bright and Ra came down, and destroyed the souls of the two summoners.**_

"_**Without a proper target, Set and Osiris turned their fury on Rudga. Rudga raised not a finger in his own defense and was killed, leaving behind the locket to his two year old son."**_

_**Jess frowned. "But I summoned Ra without the locket, Father. Why?"**_

"_**Over time, the locket's power began to grow, and was draining it into the bloodline. By now, we can summon all three Gods with it."**_

"_**Just three?" Jess asked, confused. "I thought Egypt had more than one God."**_

"_**Yes. But only three have power connected to us as Guardians. Osiris, Lord of the Underworld; Set, God of Chaos; and Ra, the Sun God."**_

"_**Father? What am I a guardian of?"**_

"_**Not 'a' Jess, you're the guardian of-"**_

**TSW**

"Jess, you need to wake up now." Yugi said gently.

Jess sat up quickly, nearly colliding with his chin. "Shit!"

"Jess?" Seto asked quietly.

"So close." Jess whispered. "So fucking close to the answer."

"What answer?" Yugi asked.

Jess pulled the pendent from her pocket. "What's happening to me?" she whispered, twirling the pendent between her thumb and forefinger.

Seto frowned. "Jess, we're not going to hate you."

Jess shot him a glare. "I know that."

"Do you?" He shot back. "Are you sure that you're not desperate to find out what's wrong with you because you're scared that we'll leave you to flounder because you're different from the rest of us?"

"Bull shit." Bakura drawled, walking into the room, the Millennium Ring glowing brightly on his chest. Yami, Malik, and Marik crowded the doorway, watching the rest of their team.

Jess looked away from Bakura guiltily.

"Jess, no matter what happens to you, no matter what memories you digup, we'll still be here." Bakura said, gently pulling her head back to look at him. "You're our sister, Jess. And this immensely dysfunctional family is going to stick together."

"Fuck yeah." Marik growled. "And I _dare_ Zorc to try what he did today a second time."

Jess' eyes flashed. "What?"

"You were worried, so Yami went to take care of Ryou. But what does that have to do with Zorc?" Yugi asked, looking from Bakura to Yami and back.

"Bakura's stress, fear, anger, and worry woke Zorc's frail control again. Which is probably what began to set off your senses, Jess, before you even spoke with Bakura himself. I'm pretty sure that you've never felt Bakura when he was under Zorc's control."

Jess narrowed her blue eyes on Bakura. "Ryou okay?"

"He's healing. Zorc threw a good chunk of my power at him."

Jess growled.

"Moving on before Jess does something rash, what were you doing down here, Jess?" Seth interrupted, drifting through the ceiling.

Jess blushed lightly. "Just working on an idea I had when I was watching the rest of you first work on Parkinson in Lucius' room. I noticed that we don't have as much room as we need, considering who and how many we're hiding. This place is huge, out of the way, and unused. We could move Lucius, Remus, Yukina, and Sirius down here. It just…needs to be cleaned up a bit."

"You did all of this?" Yugi asked, looking around.

The slime, dust, and spider webs that had covered the walls was gone. A pile of dirty rags, likely created from the cotton sheets that had once been on the beds, lay in the middle of the room. The pillows lay in a corner along with three or four of the mattresses. Light flooded the room from a large glowing ball that hovered above them.

"Jess…."

"Hm?"

"You and Remus can work on this during the week." Seto said, looking around. "After all, the others are going to be in class, right?"

Yami nodded. "I'm sure between the two of you we can get a lot done."

Jess closed her eyes. "It's Friday, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah." Yugi said. "We've got stuff to do this weekend, don't we?"

"I want to meet after dinner. Get all our allies together in the Room of Requirement."

"Sure." Yami said. "Now for the reason we came down here. Dinner has begun."

Jess gave him a bloodthirsty grin. "Let's go than."

Bakura cackled

Shadows swirled and the room was empty.

**TBWL**

Alastor, for once, wasn't on his guard, surrounded by the students and staff of Hogwarts. The conversation with Pharaoh was running through his head again and again.

He didn't flinch, however, like the others, when the Wielders, the ones still alive at any rate, appeared, directly in the Great Hall.

"Did you all have fun, on this wonderful Halloween day?" Keeper asked cheerfully.

Dolores twitched at the Head Table.

"I see no one played strip poker." Guardian murmured sadly.

"Please, you already knew they wouldn't, Guardian." Healer murmured.

"True, but I could still hope, Healer."

"Why-never mind, I'll never understand you."

"Good choice." Thief smirked.

"Boys." Lady drawled. "Remember our games."

"Games?" Malfoy drawled. "What games?"

"The kind where we," Ice sneered, crossing his arms and drawing all attention to him, Priest, and the spirits that were gathered behind them. "Play with you."

**TSW**

Yami glanced at Bakura. Of all of them, he knew the thief enjoyed Halloween night the most because of this.

The time when he could spend time with those he cares for. Both new and old.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Spirits of the Fallen City." Jess greeted. "I hope to enjoy another…eventful Halloween with you."

"Wielders. It is a pleasure." Said the closest spirit to Seth. "And shall I assume that everyone is fair game?"

"Indeed, Great Thief." Yami responded.

"I believe introductions are in order." Jess drawled, jumping up onto the center table, her legs swinging back and forth.

"Hogwarts School, meet the Lost Spirits of Kul Elna, The Fallen City of Thieves." Bakura announced, just a hind of cold sorrow in his voice that went unnoticed as sad spirits swarmed the room, leaving Seth and Seto with the spirit who had spoken.

"The Queen of Shadows is absent." He observed.

"Yes. She's…feeling a bit sleepy, Master Rea. I will give her your regards." Jess answered.

This seemed to satisfy the Lord of Kul Elna, for he gestured and the spirits returned to his side.

"In due time, my Lord." Bakura whispered to himself. "In due time, Zorc will fall and you'll all be free."

Ryou brushed his mind gently.

_#Don't fret, Bakura. They're here. Be happy, if only for their sakes.#_

Bakura chuckled quietly. _##You end up saying this every year, Ry-chan.##_

_#Because you can't let go of the past. You can't let go of the guilt.#_

"Thief." Rea said sharply, causing the Wielder to look at him, his movements lazy, with an undertone of caution.

"Hm?"

"You need to be more aware, _Thief King_." Rea said coolly. "Or you will get no where."

"**He was talking to me, Rea. Take a break."** Ryou snapped in Egyptian.

Bakura sighed.

Rea was many things to him: a father, a trainer, a critic.

His criticism was vicious and cutting. Even his mother had never once in her life stood up for him, not even when he was five and Rea had beat him for nearly getting the former King caught.

But the first time Rea and Ryou had met face to face, there had been a verbal sparing match that had left the Wielders with their jaws at their ankles.

Despite how much pride he had taken in Ryou's sudden backbone, he was slightly upset by the fact that two of the most important people in his life were incapable of getting along.

'_**Thief. Healer's going to go postal if you don't stop him.'**_

_**##You want me to make this open?"##**_

'_**Do you?'**_

_**##Of course.##**_

"Healer." Bakura murmured. "Enough."

Ryou's eyes flashed angrily. "Thief-"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Come Helaer. Make better use of your wicked tongue."

A smirk appeared fleetingly across the white mage's lips.

_#Are you sure?#_

_##Of course, landlord.##_

**TSW**

Marik wolf whistled as Ryou practically flew into Bakura's arms, his tongue quickly working its way down the thief's throat.

"I didn't mean make a spectacle, Thief." Jess muttered smirking.

Rea's lip curled, just barely visible to those who knew him.

"Are you proud of your son?" Yami asked him quietly. "Are you proud of yourself, Lord of Thieves?"

"I am immensely proud of my son, my pharaoh." Rea answered. "Immensely proud. My son has become just like his creature. He has come into his birthright as a King of a different age." Rea whispered, almost reverently.

Yami smirked as Ryou broke the kiss, breathing quickly. "Yes. I can agree that Bakura is quickly rising to his status as Diabound's summoner." Yami replied. "He is the King of Thieves, a god among insects."

Rea smirked. "Is royalty complimenting a thief?"

Yami's eyes flickered to the spirit. "No. I am complimenting my brother. A friend."

Rea bowed his head, hiding his smile. "Kul Elna! Let us give the weaklings a taste of something they'll never forget!"

As one, the once-inhabitants of the thief town coalesced behind the former King, and swept into the hall like a gale, the much lacking Halloween decorations transforming at their touch.

Webs that could easily rival those of the children of Aragog slipped down the walls, invisible spiders creating them at speeds hereto unheard of.

Jack-o-lanterns with hideous, demonic faces were carved quickly and moved by themselves, to the window ledges with hair raising cackles. Two very large pumpkins appeared with a loud thump by the doors into the Great Hall and began to carve themselves into the likeness of two gargoyles.

The candles that floated above the collected school disappeared, leaving the Great Hall in a momentary state of darkness, which Yami and Marik used to their advantage, adding in the customary statues of Osiris, Set, Anubis, and Ammit in the four corners. Each statue held a pure white candle that would remain unlit until 23:00, and would remain as such until 01:00 the next morning.

The darkness was banished by candelabras on every table(five along the length of the Head table), and held black candles, lit by the purest of light, and revealed the new décor. Black table clothes, each with a different protective rune on them.

Just outside the door to the Great Hall, they could see torches lit with brilliant blue flames, running along the Entrance Hall.

Those around Jess could hear her humming 'This is Halloween' under her breath, as she watched her friends work.

"Now, _this_ is a worthy Halloween party!" Marik grinned.

Seth snapped his fingers and a long table appeared beneath the windows from one end of the room to the other. A black and gold cloth, complete with empty plates of various sizes, rolled out like a rug along its length.

"Happy Halloween!" Jess laughed, all but dancing between the circular tables. "My favorite holiday of the year." She paused before the empty table, and then turned with a flourish towards the inhabitants of the room. "Shall we feast?" She asked, mockingly, as the House Elves sent up the food.

Needless to say, the Wielders were in no way the enemies of the students of Hogwarts Halloween night.

It would be called the Greatest Feast ever had for centuries to come.

For the Wielders, it was just another Halloween with friends and allies.


	20. Interlude: Arrival

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Interlude: Arrival

The November wind bit into his face and hands and was slowly moving through the black jeans and jacket that covered his small frame, but he didn't so much as twitch.

The sun had long ago dropped below the horizon, taking with it about four degrees. Dark clouds covered the skies above and a thick fog was rolling along the ground.

Crimson eyes watched the ebb and flow of the fog as it moved below him, but still he didn't move. He knew they were wary of him, as they should be.

He was what filled their nightmares. He was what made them quake. His anger was legendary. Difficult, yet at the same time easy, to provoke.

The wind kicked up with the approaching storm, biting even deeper and ever colder.

A scream broke through the night and the figure moved for the first time, turning towards the sound.

"So the night begins." he said to the wind, his voice sharp, cutting, and cold.

As a cloud shifted momentarily lighting up the roof of Buckingham Palace, a shadow was already moving through the surrounding town.

**TBWL**

Martha stumbled, her breathing quick and fearful. She wished she had heeded her father's warning of going out after dark. It had become dangerous, mysterious deaths popping up more and more as the weeks dragged on.

But she was a teenager, and she'd wanted to go to the new club that had opened in town.

And now she was paying for it. She was going to die.

"Come on, Martha. I though you liked me." A smooth voice called from the fog.

Martha let out a sob of terror as she moved quickly back to her feet and stumbled on down the street. "Leave me alone!"

Another voice, lighter but no less smooth, laughed. "But you smell so _good_!"

Martha turned back to look at how much distance was between her and her four pursuers.

A soft thud as she hit a solid body was the only sound that was heard as she hit the ground hard, skinning her elbows and the back of her leg. Her heart almost stopped when she saw she'd run into one of her pursuers. She sobbed in despair when the other three came up behind her, the three of them beginning to circle her, cutting off any route of escape.

The one on the left had a bloodthirsty, eager grin. He was taller than the others, long black hair tied back into a high ponytail. Fangs glinted in the dim street lights.

Beside him, shorter only by a few inches, was the cause of her problem. Beautifully flawless pale skin contrasted nicely with the black leather. Amber eyes glinted mischievously. His fangs were longer than the others'.

Far right, stood the shortest of the four. Unusually colored hair stood up like he'd put his finger in a light socket. His eyes, a dark purple, held a blankness that went far beyond just not caring.

Turning fearfully, looking for a way out, she caught sight of the fourth _thing_. He was more muscular than the others, black eyes watched her every move hungrily.

The middle one laughed. "Martha. Why do you run from me? I thought we got along so well."

"Please, l-leave me alone."

"Marcello, I'm so hungry. Please move this along." A deep voice said from behind her.

"Yes, Marcello," another voice drawled from the roof above them. "Let's move this along."

"_Shit_." The tall one hissed.

"So, rumors do spread fast."

"Kill the girl already!"

Martha screamed, arms flailing as the four lunged at her, fangs bared.

"Fools." The dark voice hissed.

Blood sprayed across her body, followed quickly by hot ashes as one of the men combusted.

"Dakota!" The three vampires backed away, glaring at the small man that had somehow killed one of her attackers, hissing one word.

"Elemental."

Martha eyes teared up in relief.

**TE**

Crimson eyes burned with an inner flame, a flame that had given him his name.

"You had balls to hunt in our city, vampire." He said coolly.

"Kill him!" Marcello hissed.

"Do you think-"

"I said kill him, Kane."

Kane hesitated. One didn't attack an Elemental unless you were absolutely sure you could win.

The hesitation cost him his life, his head rolling down the alley before it was engulfed in flames and was turned to ash blowing in the wind.

The Elemental's katana cleaved through another arm and someone's throat before anyone could so much as blink.

Staring Marcello in the eye, katana poised at his throat, the Elemental paused.

"You should have run." He stated, before the Japanese sword passed through his throat, leaving only ashes in his wake.

Cleaning and sheathing the sword, he turned to leave.

**TBWL**

Martha shivered, new outfit covered in the blood of her attackers.

"Wait!" She called, when her savior turned to leave her there.

The man was shorter than the six foot vampires, black hair standing up with a white burst just above his forehead. Crimson eyes, when turned on her, made her want to shrivel up and die.

"Wh-who are you?"

The man stared at her for a moment. "Stay at home next time, you fool."

Martha opened her mouth, to yell or thank him, she didn't know, but the Elemental was already gone.

**TE**

The silence of the house the Elementals owned was broken by the low vibrating of the assassin's cellphone.

"What?" he barked, irritably.

"_What crawled up your ass and died?_" An amused voice asked.

The Elemental growled quietly. "Dark. What do you want?"

"_I need you to check something out for me, Flame._"

"What?"

"_The Wielders' house. No one's answering the phone._"

"You want me to check whether or not they're alive." 'Flame' clarified.

"_Mmhm. Normally, at least Shadi or Odion is there. But _no one_ is answering._"

"…. I'll look into it tomorrow."

"_Arigato, Hiei-sama._"

"Whatever."

As the Elemental leader hung up, Hiei sat up from where he'd been laying on the couch reading one of Kurama's many cook books, the only thing that still held the fox's scent in this damn house.

Looking up at the clock, Hiei moved into the basement, magically expanded to hold the hundreds of machines that monitored known allies and the large demon populations that were under their surveillance for one reason or another.

The Elementals were the only ones that Jess had allowed to put cameras into the house, and even then, it was only certain areas.

Hiei flipped through these areas with trained eyes, looking for any differences since the last time he had seen these rooms, either in person or on the screen.

It was once he got to the computer room that something jumped out at him.

It was shattered.

The Shadow Wielders' most prized possession was broken.

"Fuck." He hissed.

Hiei stepped away from the computer before he did something foolish and likely broke the machine itself.

Growling, he left the room, grabbing his jacket off the couch as he left the house.

**TE**

Hiei moved as fast as his blood would allow, not willing to take the chance that the Wielders' heavy wards would destroy him if he tried to fire-teleport to the mansion itself.

The fire demon wasn't one to worry, not needlessly. And the Wielders' complete abandonment of Shadow Mansion was reason, even for Hiei, to worry.

Shadow Mansion was the pride and joy of all the darker Wielders and Jess. They didn't just up and leave it.

England was safe enough, with the rumors that the Elementals were around, that he could spare a few days.

It was two and a half day sprint to Shadow Mansion, and Hiei didn't have time to wait for the 'help' Koenma had decided to send.

**TE**

Two days later, Hiei walked, tired and weary into the town that was surrounded by the lesser Shadow Wards.

People bowed to him as he passed, greeting him as 'Lord Hiei' or 'Master Elemental'.

These were Jess' people. They protected the mansion from inquisitive people, and she protected the town from the threats that would come knocking. It was the only majorly human small town in the area.

The Elementals, as primary allies of the Wielders, were seen as Lords, the same title given to those living in the mansion.

Walking into the small hotel, Hiei was greeted by the one inhabitant not in the town by will of their own. And the only 'taint' to their 'all human' record.

"How can I-oh. It's you."

"Karasu." Hiei stated coldly. "What do you know about the Mansion?"

Karasu, once a proud demon of great power, now a half demon bound to the Shadow Realm, glared at him. "Nothing." The half demon looked innocently thoughtfully. "They have neither come nor gone for quite a few days though."

Hiei slid the sword at his side free of the sheath a few inches with his thumb.

"What do you want from me, Hiei?"

"Something useful. Lady Light has done you quite a favor, by keeping you from Koenma's eyes."

Karasu snarled at the Elemental. "Fine. The last one to come down from the Mansion was Prince Zane. We haven't seen hide nor hair of the others…." Karasu gave Hiei a truly thoughtful look. "Although…Prince Zane did look angrier than was normal. He was cold and smelled of blood. I think he had just been in a fight."

Hiei let the katana fall back into the sheath. "You know more."

Karasu sneered. "And why should I tell? I've told you more than enough for you to work off of."

The bat half demon snarled in anger and agony when Hiei pinned him to the wall, the Elemental's red-hot katana through his shoulder.

"Listen to me very carefully, Bat." The fire demon snarled. "Kurama will not be here to save your life this time around. Do. Not. Press. Me." Hiei growled, baring his fangs at the lesser demon. "What do you know, Karasu?" He snapped.

"He smelled of human blood." Karasu growled. "And he wasn't alone. He was dragging Malik's friend, the bald one. He didn't seem to care that he was mortally injured either."

"How did the humans not know?"

"Because they don't smell as I do. Because they are naïve. They saw a man, one they follow without question, helping his friend to a healer while he was too weak to carry him." Karasu sneered.

Hiei didn't agree with too much of what Karasu spouted about humanity, not since he had met Jess and Beth. However, he did agree with him about their naivety. They refused to think of a single thing that could change their perfect view of their protectors.

"I'm staying the night."

"Why are you telling me this?" Karasu asked, knowing full well that the Elementals never needed to pay for a damn thing in this town.

"Because at dawn, you and I are going up to Shadow Mansion."

"Wha-"

"Heal up, Karasu. Dawn." Hiei said, pulling his katana free of plaster, muscle, blood, and bone.

"You expect me to heal up in five hours?"

"Yes."

**TE**

"_Hello?_"

"Dark. It's me."

"_Flame? What's up?_"

"I think Zane went insane."

"_What makes you say that?_"

"Karasu saw him dragging Odion through town."

"_And how, exactly, do you miss something like that?_"

"Humans tend to ignore everything that destroys their views."

"_But do we trust Karasu over them?_"

"We don't have a choice. He's the only one who would be able to smell blood after it's been washed away."

"_True…. What are you doing to do next?_"

"Karasu and I are going up to the Mansion at dawn."

"_Are you sure it's safe? To be going up to Shadow Mansion, not traveling with Karasu._"

"Don't know. But I need to check on the house, Dark. Something came up."

"_Something? Flame, what's going on?_"

"I have to go. I'll get back to you when I have something more."

"_Fla-_"

**TE**

Dawn arrived, and as promised, Hiei was pounding on Karasu's door until he heard movement.

"Get your ass out of bed, Bat. We don't have all day."

"Hiei…why are we climbing Mount Krnsedas at dawn?"

"Because I said so." The Elemental sneered, before he was gone.

**TE**

By the time the sun was completely above the horizon, Karasu and Hiei now stood at the base of Mount Krnsedas, the only natural place, outside of Egypt, with access to the Shadow Realm.

Once an active volcano, Mt. Krnsedas was a dangerous place for anyone who couldn't handle the high heats that randomly flared in some was all but constant in others. As a natural defense, the Wielders put no paths leading around such hot spots.

Only twice had the Elementals ever climbed Krnsedas. Both times, with a Wielder.

Beside him, Hiei could smell Karasu's fear and hesitation at climbing the dangerous mountain.

"You go up against Kurama and you're afraid to climb a mountain? How the mighty have fallen, Karasu." Hiei sneered, leaping into the trees that lined the bottom eighth of Mt. Krnsedas.

Karasu growled. The Elemental was getting on his last nerve. As he followed the fire user up one of the most dangerous mountains in the world, he muttered mutinously under his breath.

Hiei ignored him. Neither was happy about this arrangement and the dark magic in the air as they got higher and higher up the mountain was putting both of them on edge.

Hiei, for the most part, was able to sense when the temperature was rising in most places, and was able to steer clear of them for his temporary partner's safety.

The closer to the top the two demons got, the more pronounced the Shadow Realm began to become to Hiei and the more unbearable the heat became for Karasu, as Hiei was unable to get around the small ponds of lava and the heat that came with them.

The ground, now two thirds of the way to the top, was black and hardened, there were little to no trees around and it made Hiei feel open and unguarded.

Black ash covered what little foliage managed to survive up here.

After more than three hours of walking, Hiei found a cooler-than-normal-but-still hot area after finally noticing that the heat was beginning to slow Karasu down.

The bat demon frowned at him when he stopped moving.

"What's wrong?"

"Rest." Hiei said shortly. "This much heat is too much for the human in you, no matter how far back you push it. It's going to make you ill."

Karasu scowled at the mention of the price he paid by escaping Reikai and pleading to the townspeople for help when the Elementals and Yusuke Urameshi, the Spirit Detective at the time, began to hunt for him.

It was the first fight between the Wielders and the Elementals, as the humans were willing to fight to keep the demon safe, and the Wielders would protect the humans of their town.

It would happen again, twice, before Zane would return from a mission and would call an end to the fight between two leading rivals, Jess and Beth. The compromise was made that the Wielders would keep Karasu hidden from Koenma, as long as he didn't cause trouble and sent half his power and abilities to the Shadow Realm as payment for their protection.

The bat had lived in the town of Krnsedas since.

"Karasu." Hiei stated, calling the black haired half demon back from his trip down memory lane.

"What?" He snapped back.

"Are you ready to move on?" Hiei asked, narrowing his eyes warningly at his partner.

"Yeah…."

"Good. Let's go."

And the trek continued.

**TE**

The first time they ran into trouble, was when they came upon the cave of one of the mountain inhabitants.

A flame swordsman barred their path upward.

Hiei snarled. _I don't have time for this crap._

Karasu took a step back. "He's all yours."

Hiei glared at him.

"I don't fight the creatures of Mt. Krnsedas, Elemental. That's your job."

"Coward." Hiei sneered, but moved forward to battle swordsman without the help of the hotel owner.

"Self preservationist." Karasu called back.

Hiei resisted the urge to flip him off. He learned the oddest things from humans….

**TE**

Karasu had seen Hiei fight before, more than thirty-seven years ago, when the Spirit Detective was unaware of his demon heritage, in the Dark Tournament. He'd made the fire demon his enemy that year when he'd touched his mate.

He still wasn't quite sure whether or not it was worth it.

Now, watching as the Elemental fought, he saw that Hiei had improved immensely. Thirty-seven years had sharpened already near perfect form.

The inhuman speed only made his reactions that much better. Flames licked the metal as it blocked and countered the flame swordsman.

Sparks fell from the two grinding blades. It made him wonder. He knew that Hiei had more speed and power, there was no need to hold back and waste time, especially since the Elemental was quite keen on getting to the top of the mountain as fast as possible.

Abruptly, it became clear, as the katana slipped off of the sharpened broadsword. The blade couldn't touch the shadow creature.

It phased through him.

This further confused Karasu. It was obvious that the blade was able to touch the other blade. Why couldn't it touch flesh?

Hiei was focused on his task.

He ignored Karasu and he ignored the heat.

He was focused on the flame swordsman. On its form, on its footwork, on its technique.

The Shadow Magic of the mountain was feeding the creature more power. It didn't want them anywhere near where Shadow Mansion awaited its masters.

Blades crossed again.

Hiei's hammering on the heavy broadsword began to take its toll. The katana was flung from his hands, embedded in the ground, but he had expected it. The katana was not a blade used for 'hammering'. He was actually rather surprised that it had held up against the broadsword and not snapped in half.

Hiei himself backflipped away from the heavy blade as it came down where he had been standing moments before, cracking the hardened lava several layers, allowing a small fountain of lava to bubble to the surface and spill over the ground.

"Karasu!" He called to the other demon. "Blow up the damn sword."

Karasu blinked, having only been paying half attention, since it appeared the fire demon had everything under control. "Wha-"

Hiei growled, his warded arm coming up to block the broadsword, protected from losing it only by the pulsing dark magic of what the wards contained. "Are you deaf, bat? Blow up the sword. There's a nick in the blade."

Karasue narrowed his gaze on the blade. He did not want to get involved. The Shadows were his only protection. "But-"

"Karasu!"

Growling at the commanding tone, Karasu got to his feet and moved away from the rock he'd been sitting on. "Get out of the way, asshole."

Hiei blurred and was gone.

The swordsman looked around, confused. In that time, Karasu cracked the sword in half, watching the flame swordsman disappear into the depths of the Shadow Realm to recuperate.

"Nice shot." Hiei stated, not even looking in the bat's direction as he pulled his katana from the ground.

Karasu barely tilted his head in acknowledgment.

Hiei looked at the barely visible rooftop of Shadow Mansion. "We'll need to tread more carefully. We're nearly there."

"Mmm." Karasu hummed. "What are you going to do about the wards?"

"…. I'll deal with them when we come to them."

"Sure." The half demon snorted.

"Let's go." Hiei said sharply, taking off across the black praire.

Karasu narrowed his gaze, but followed. _I'm beginning to regret ever going to Jess for help._

**TE**

Another hour passed in tense silence and they worked their way up the walkway of Shadow Mansion. They had managed to get up alive, but neither was unscathed. A shallow cut along Karasu's temple and several electrical and wind burns littered Hiei's upper body through the torn clothing, added to the multitude of bruises and aches that they were sure to get before their bodies could fully heal them.

The mansion lived up to its name. Surrounded by cliffs on nearly all sides and painted a dark gray, almost black, Shadow Mansion blended seamlessly with the shadows of the cliff walls. From the outside, it was hard to see even in the daylight.

As it was, the door hung off its hinges and revealed a small flicker of light from inside, showing exactly where the house was.

Hiei frowned, putting his hands in his pockets.

"What happened to the wards?" He heard Karasu murmur.

_He's right._ Hiei thought. _We're too close to the house. The wards should have fried us by now. The wards are gone. No wonder the Shadow Realm summoned the monsters to protect the house._

"Did you want to look around or not?" Karasu snapped.

Hiei's eyes slid open. "Karasu. Do shut up. I'm not foolish enough to walk into a house owned by the Wielders unprepared. Especially if one of them turned traitor."

Karasu rolled his eyes. "I do have other things to do, Hiei. I'm not staying up here more than today. I'm going back tonight. I have a business to run."

Hiei gave Karasu an amused glance. "Worried, Karasu?"

"Stupid. I'm annoyed at being up here with _you_ of all people."

"I'm feeling no better about this, Karasu, I assure you." Hiei responded. "But I'm doing my job."

"Do I need to be here?"

"Yes."

"Why?'

"Because you smelled the blood. I need to know if the blood is here or not."

Karasu growled and looked at the Mansion.

Ten minutes later, Hiei walked into the house, frowning at the disaster he found there.

If Zane had attacked Odion, the bald Wielder had obviously given just as good as he got. Demon blood lined the walls, mixed in with human blood, whom he assumed to be Odion's. There was another scent though, one that was fading even as he scented the home of the Wielders, that he couldn't place.

Hallways were smashed in, but the two combatants had been careful to keep the damage done away from rooms and areas that they must have know the Elementals had cameras placed. At least, until they'd gone after the Shadow Computer, anyway.

Zane's Projection Chamber was liberally soaked in human blood, and it was here, that the unidentified scent was at its strongest.

"This place reeks." Karasu said in mock-cheerfulness. "And yes, this is Odion's blood. I'm leaving now."

Hiei let him leave, his gaze traveling the length of the computer room. It was intact, with the obvious exception of the Computer itself. If he had to take a guess, Hiei would have to say that the computer had likely been the target the entire time, and Odion had done his best to keep the insane prince as far from it as possible.

Sighing, Hiei pulled his phone out of his pocket, Hiei dialed. He would never get used to using human technology. Not after so long of just using his own telepathy. He would admit that it had been a shock when he suddenly heard his conversation with Chaz being repeated word for word over the radio though….

Telepathy was now reserved for close contacting, and never with open name usage.

"_Hello,_" a familiar, and very welcome, voice greeted.

"Yo." Hiei felt a small smile flicker on his lips, even surrounded by the evidence of Zane and Odion's fight and Zane's potential betrayal of the Shadow Wielders.

"_Hiei!_"

"I'm glad you miss me, Fox."

"_Of course I miss you, Hiei. But more to the point, is there something you needed before we talk?_"

"Yeah. I need your help with something."

"_Oh? What is it?_"

"Can you get to Shadow Mansion in the next twenty minutes?"

"_Yes. May I ask why?_"

"The wards are crippled for the moment, so don't worry about having to climb the mountain. I'll explain more when you get here."

"_Hiei. I have orders to pass on to you as well._"

Hiei winced. "I take it she's not happy that I hung up on her then."

"_No, she's not. She ranted for two hours. But that's not the point. As soon as you're through, we're heading for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._"

"Why?"

"_There's quite a bit of activity on both sides of the war. And the Wielders are rumored to be there._"

"All of them?" Hiei frowned.

"_As far as we can tell, its just the field team._"

Hiei sighed. "See you soon, Fox."

"_Of course, Hiei_."

Hanging up, Hiei looked at the computer wreckage.

"What the fuck is going on?"

**TE**

'Fox', as promised, stepped onto the Shadow Mansion property within fifteen minutes.

Emerald eyes, containing more worldly knowledge and experience than should be possible for a how old he appeared, took in the area around him with a frown. Red hair blew in the angry breeze as he turned his eyes to the not-quite-closed front door.

_**[[Flame?]]**_

_**[Be careful, Fox. The wards may be gone, but the Mansion is far from being completely unprotected.]**_

_**[[Good to know.]]**_

_**[Come inside. The mansion is deserted, if the grounds aren't.]**_

'Fox' sighed and looked at the door. Even from the outside, the house looked un-lived in and cold. "I know." He whispered.

'Fox' walked into the house, hands in his jeans pocket to avoid touching anything that may have been cursed by the once-inhabitants of the home.

The scent of blood, even as stale as it was, made his other shift.

"No, Youko." He said sharply.

""Aw, come on Shuuichi."" Youko said, the pleading in the demon's voice extremely out of place.

"No." He repeated, more forcefully. "Not here."

"Kurama."

Kurama glanced over his shoulder at Hiei and smiled tightly. "Hiei."

Hiei raised a brow. "You alright?"

"Fine." Kurama said. "Youko's being a pain in the ass."

""I am not.""

"Hush you." Kurama responded.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Relax, Kurama. There's nothing for him to do here as it is."

Kurama felt tension fleeing his body at the semi-command.

"Better?"

"Yes." The fox spirit answered, shaking slightly at the sudden release of tension.

"Sorry." The fire demon murmured.

Kurama smiled tiredly. "We don't blame you, Hiei. We both know how important to you she is."

"Did Blaise send any word to you and the others?"

"Perhaps. That may be one of the reasons that she's moving us to Hogwarts." Kurama answered. "Now. Let us get Shadow Mansion a bit more protected, and you can tell me what the hell happened here."

"Hn."

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Hiei."

The fire demon just smirked.

**TE**

Hiei allowed Kurama his space, no matter how much he wanted to jump him. Three months without his mate's presence hadn't just made Kurama jittery.

Only Hiei's iron clad self control kept his steps and actions natural as they worked.

Wards were placed in various places of the house, keeping out looters and hopefully everyone short of the Dark Summoners and the Shadow Wielders.

A few well placed traps around the premises made the very foundation dangerous to anyone who didn't belong.

As the sun was setting, Kurama was curled up, exhausted from the amount of energy he and Hiei had put into protecting the house. He purred quietly under Hiei's hand.

"What's today?" Hiei asked after a while.

"November 2nd."

Hiei blinked. "November already?"

"Mmhm. October passed too fast." Kurama agreed.

"When's the next full moon?"

"Not for another few days. Next week perhaps."

Hiei looked at the fox spirit. "I find it hard to believe you don't know when it is, and what the night will be like down to the very last detail."

Kurama gave him a sleepy, mischievous smile. "I do. I just don't care right now."

Hiei snorted. "Rest, Fox. You're slurring your words."

Kurama nipped at him playfully, causing Hiei to pull gently at his hair in retaliation.

Hiei watched darkness fall and Kurama to follow it.

With some careful maneuvering, Kurama curled up against Hiei's chest and the other demon fire-teleported them both back to the house in England, where Hiei made his mate comfortable on one of the three bedrooms in the house, before going to take a shower and call Dark.

**TE**

"Dark, pick up the phone, I know you're listening to every fucking word I say over the answering machine."

There was a long silence before there was a beep, signifying the phone being picked up and the machine turning off.

"_She's pissed at you, man._"

Hiei raised his eyes heavenward with a snarl. "Either put her on the phone or put me on speaker."

"_Speaker it is._" The other Elemental smirked, Hiei knew he was smirking. "_What did you find, Flamey?_"

"Don't call me that, Chaz. Or I'll rip out that wing of yours."

"_Whatever you say, Hiei._" Chaz laughed.

Hiei bit back another growl, leaning against the wall. "The mansion's deserted, Dark. The Wielders abandoned it."

"_But why would they do that? That place is their pride and joy._" Chaz asked.

"_Because it wasn't safe._" 'Dark' said. "_Shadow Mansion became compromised and they left._"

"Zane?"

"_It's probable._" She said.

"_Only as long as Dorian wasn't in the body._" Chaz reminded them. "_Zane's untouchable otherwise._"

"He was likely projecting. The room was covered in blood. Same as what Karasu smelled, and has since identified as Odion's blood, on both Odion and Zane."

"_But why would he go after Zane? Surely Jess is the bigger threat._"

"Jess wouldn't attack Zane. Not right away."

"…_. Fuck!_" 'Dark' screamed, accompanied by the sound of something shattering.

"_Beth, love, calm down._"

"_You don't get it, Chaz! Zorc's sending Zane after the Wielders! Subconsciously, Zane'll still remember all of their moves!_"

"And the only one to ever fight him and win is…"

"_Jess._" Chaz finished.

"So they're screwed if he attacks unless Jess gets her act together."

"_We need to be there._" Beth growled. "_We need to be there for that fight_."

"But we can't interfere, Beth. I know Zane is important to your family, but we can't do anything without breaking at least a dozen different laws."

"_When the fucking hell did you start giving a fuck about rules and laws, Hiei?_" Beth spat.

"When I gained a mate, _Elizabeth_." Hiei snapped in return. "Perhaps you should think about yours."

There was complete silence on both lines of the phone for a few seconds.

"_I'm sorry._" Beth whispered. "_But Zane's family too. I can't just let him kill my best friend._"

"You give her far too little credit. She still has Hunter."

"_And how much good will she be fighting off her hikari._"

"Don't know. We'll have to wait and see."

"_But how long can we afford to wait?_" Chaz asked.

"We've been neutral for years in the fight against Zorc, children. We can't break that now."

"_Of course, Hiei._" Beth said quietly.

"Meet you soon, Beth. Stay safe and out of trouble. As long as Sephiroth's out there, we're in as much danger as the Wielders are."

"_Keep yourselves safe too, we don't know who he'll go after first._" Chaz agreed.

"Of course." Hiei said, before hanging up.

A moment later, from the view outside, the Elemental home flickered and disappeared from view.

**TE**

It took Chaz and Beth twenty-nine hours to get from Japan to Scotland.

Not a day later, the temperature rose to almost 104 degrees for the entire Northern Hemisphere and from ninety-two to ninety-nine degrees in the Southern.

The heat lasted for the entire week, before it finally died down to normal temperatures for the time of year.

Reports of a giant black and gold serpent encircling the moon on November 4th were brought up all over the world.

Egyptians wept with joy, calling out to their savior.

Calling out the name:

"Black!"


	21. Approach

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

Approach

November, after the most unusual weather in the history of the world, became colder than ever before, almost as if nature was trying to make up for the week long heat wave.

Frost covered the grounds. And ice practically took over the windows, and the top of the castle walls in thick layers. The dungeons of the castle were too cold in most places that teachers and prefects alike outright refused to patrol them.

This decision found Alastor Moody doing so with a heavy cloak draped over his shoulders.

The sound of cheerful laughing was drawing him deeper into the darkness of the waiting corridor, not knowing of the danger that lurked within the darkest of Shadows, nor of the laughing, malicious eyes that followed him, glowing in the darkness.

**TBWL**

"Come and play with us, Mad Eye!" A voice called through the fog-like dark clouds. "Come on! Come and play!"

In a daze, Alastor followed the child's voice.

"Just a little further, Mad Eye, we're almost to our playroom. Will you play with us?" Another voice called, this one more feminine than the other.

"Yes…."

"Damn. I thought you were the best in your field!" A new voice called out through the fog. This one was much older than the voice of the two children Alastor had been following. It was colder, but oddly refreshing to the Auror's senses.

"Mad Eye! Help us, Mad Eye! The bad men want to hurt us! They don't want us to play!"

"Alastor Moody, don't you dare! Put that staff down! Moody! K'so" The older voice swore, in what sounded like a strained, oriental language.

_**//Foolish old man. You've forced my hand to save your pathetic ass.//**_

The fog faded and disappeared, leaving Alastor in the sudden and blessedly less confusing darkness of unconsciousness.

**TSW**

_Earlier:_

Yami and Malik looked out at the twisting Shadows that had somehow found its way into the dungeons of Hogwarts. The one place they were currently trying to keep them _out_ of.

"This is bad." Malik whined.

"No, you think?" Yami smirked. "And they know that Mad Eye would follow."

"What do they want with a decrepit old Auror?" Malik asked.

"Not a clue. Shall we?"

"After you, _pharaoh_." Malik mocked, bowing.

Yami laughed. "You'd put your pharaoh in danger, peasant?" he teased.

"Nope. Just you." Malik smirked.

Yami shook his head, but obligingly sprang into the Summoned Shadows.

Malik cried out. "Hey! Don't think I'm letting _you_ get all the credit and have all the fun, pharaoh!" He yelled, following Yami.

**TSW**

Inside the Shadows' illusion, the two Wielders found a cliff about a half a mile away from them, and slowing moving towards it, was the familiar Auror they had come to retrieve.

Laughter echoed around the 'bubble', deceptively happy and carefree. To the Wielder's sharper, more experienced ears, it was a totally different song to what they were sure Moody was hearing. Deception and murder waited here, and the Summoned were hungry for the trapped soul.

"Pharaoh?"

"Look." Yami nodded towards the cliff, where now that he was focusing on it, Malik could see a small group of children laughing and dancing.

"Moody's one weakness wouldn't happen to be children, would it?" Malik asked, half knowing the answer, and half dreading Yami's answer.

"Yes." The pharaoh murmured. "And I highly doubt that the person who is using this weakness, got it the same way I did."

"But how many people does one tell their biggest weakness to? Especially if it can be torn from their mind by evil dark wizards?"

"People one works with." Yami answered easily, deciding not to point out part of that was exactly how Yami himself had gotten the information little more than a week ago.

"So…an Auror?"

"Or the Order."

"Or perhaps both." Malik shrugged, smirking. "But I digress, can we?"

Yami moved first, sprinting after the walking Auror, pulling his deck from the case at his waist as he ran. He didn't even look as he flipped the top card in his fingers.

"Gaia!" He summoned.

The horseman sprang from the card, trotting circles around the two Shadow Wielders. The purple horse snorted, ready to run, though his rider waited patiently for instructions from his master.

"Run down the fucking brats." Yami ordered.

Malik leaped, using the summoned creature as a spring board, he flipped his body over Moody to land, crouching, before him.

"Yes…." The Wielder heard the older man whisper.

"Damn. I thought you were the best in your field!" He sneered, not particularly _liking_ the glassy-eyed, lost look in Moody's eyes.

He vaguely heard Gaia behind him, rounding up the children and slaughtering them under Yami's rather vague assassination order. The pharaoh himself was standing slightly behind Alastor, his crimson eyes glowing as the older Wielder's own Shadow's lashed out at the hypnotizing ones of the Summoned Shadows.

Suddenly, Alastor raised the staff at his side to bear.

Malik's eyes narrowed, annoyed. "Alastor Moody, don't you dare! Put that staff down!" The blond could _feel_ the magic gathering, traveling through the staff and amplifying itself into a very powerful, likely not good for his health, spell. "Moody!"

Malik shifted, ready to strike the man in retaliation if necessary.

_**//Foolish old man.//**_ Malik heard, but knew that Yami wasn't addressing him. He wasn't undoing the ties that kept Moody in the fog of his own mind. _**//You've forced my hand to save your pathetic ass.//**_

Malik yelped when Mad-Eye fell forward, coming very close to landing on Malik.

"What, no warning?!" He called to his teammate.

"Nope." Yami answered, calling Gaia back from the dead 'children'. "Come on. We don't want him waking here, Keeper."

**TSW**

Looking at the doors as Malik kicked them open, Jess put down the brush she'd been using to stain the furniture. "What the hell?"

"Shadows." Malik said. "Any of those beds done yet?"

"I don't know, Ryou's been working on them after class."

"Let's check." Yami said. "And call Marik down here, too."

Jess nodded and disappeared into one of the rooms off the main room.

_-Get up.-_

_--Man, what do you want, it's too early.--_

_-Come to the dungeons. We ran into some trouble.-_

The yami groaned. _--On my way….--_

_-And don't you dare go back to sleep.-_

"Come back here, he finished one of them." Jess called.

Yami hefted the man back into his arms and the two followed Jess' voice.

Looking around, he had to admit that in a bit over a week, they'd made the place a hell of a lot more livable. The walls were painted various shades of off white, some light enough to be white others dark enough to be tan.

Lights were, for the moment, the same glowing balls as the one in the main room. Most beds were gone, unusable for one reason or another, new furniture, probably stolen or paid for with money from an account of liquidated stolen property.

The floors were carpeted, not with thick, plush rugs or carpets that you'd find elsewhere in the castle, but thin ones, comprised of intricate designs of protective runes with just enough carpet to keep the chill off the floor. Only the Wielders were aware of the runes carved into the stone below them preventing detection.

Yami looked at the bed Ryou had put together as he lay Alastor on it with a great deal less care than he would normally reserve for an injured person.

The beds weren't metal framed, instead, they were framed with different types of stained wood, sturdy enough to keep the bed together should the current patient begin to thrash or seize. The pharaoh was surprised to see that Ryou had put the Millennium Circle on the silver silk blankets, and carved them into the head and foot boards.

Marik walked into the room, sill rubbing sleep from his eyes as he closed the door behind him.

"Why am I here? Isn't this shit Ryou's job?"

"Depends on what's wrong with him. Yami's going to go through his mind and you're going to check over his magic, and temporarily bind it to his body." Malik said, gesturing to Yami, who was leaning against the wall, eyes closed.

Jess had her eyes averted in disgust as Malik changed Moody into something more comfortable.

Malik's emotions were carefully locked behind his walls, waiting patiently for his lover to begin and finish with his tasks.

"Ready, pharaoh?" Marik asked.

"Whenever you are, Guardian." Yami answered.

**TBWL**

Alastor woke slowly, groaning. He moved his arm, making to get up, but a chilled hand caught it.

"Don't move, Moody-san." A quiet voice whispered. "You're temporarily blind, among other things."

"What?" He growled, pulling his hand free to try and push himself into a less vulnerable position.

"Hey." A hand, warm, and rough, pushed him back onto the bed. "He said to stay still."

"…must you do that? He's injured." Healer asked.

"Not my fault the stupid horseman grazed him." Thief said, Alastor could tell he was smirking.

"Don't you _dare_ bring Gaia into this, Thief. He did his job." Pharaoh said sharply.

"Got to admit, I thought your motto was 'constant vigilance', Moody." Lady's voice rose over the growing argument and cut off before it began.

"What happened?" Alastor asked.

"Pharaoh and Keeper found you when they were patrolling the dungeons. Apparently someone's a traitor, if they know your weakness."

There was no mistaking the bitter tone of voice she used in the last sentence.

"Do you know who it is?" He asked.

Thief laughed harshly. "Of course. We also know where Lupin and Black are."

Moody blinked unseeing eyes. "What did you do?"

"Nothing yet," Guardian answered. "We know more about the supposed attack on Order Headquarters than you do."

"What do you mean 'supposed'? There were seventeen casualties during that fire."

"None killed. Most victims of smoke inhalation, and only one began to exhibit different side effects in private. The worst off, were the most vehement supporters in the viciousness against the demon captives you kept." Hikari listed off. "Flame wasn't in a good mood when he attacked you was he."

"Who-"

"Flame is an Elemental. It's there job to protect wronged demons. Demons like his sister and the ones that Dumbledore took straight from Makkai."

"What are you talking about? Those creatures are monsters."

There was a tense silence before Lady spoke again, and when she did, she was notably less friendly and far cooler than she had been in all the times she had spoken in the Auror's presence.

"While you stay in our hospital, wizard, keep that kind of bigoted attitude to yourself. I can't, and won't, protect you if you slander my friends and allies."

"The potion should wear off within the hour, Lady. The three of us need to get back." Healer said, the quiet voice was colder than ice.

"Be careful." Pharaoh murmured darkly. "Toad's probably not in a good mood."

"The same to you two. Don't kill each other." Hikari replied.

"Hey! We know when to behave." Thief called.

The other Wielder's reply came back faint, signifying that he'd moved away too silently for Alastor's ears to catch. "I'm sure you do, Thief!"

**TSW**

Jess leaned against the wall outside of the main room, getting some fresh air. She'd gotten six or seven more pieces of furniture done before the fumes began to go to her head.

Footsteps made her look at the hallway.

"Find anything?" She asked.

"Yeah. A whole lot of nothing. And with the full out Shadow Game that just took place, I'm sure the wards faltered too." Bakura answered, scoffing.

"Faltered?" She asked.

"It means they fell for a few moments, before coming back up." Marik answered, dropping from the handstand that he'd been in since they'd left the room across from them fifteen minutes ago.

"…side effects?"

"A fair few. None of which are particularly _good_ for us at this point, but none that will threaten the lives of students as long as Voldemort sticks to his plan."

Yami raised two fingers to get their attention. "Question. Why would Zorc follow Voldemort? I mean, other than the Item, which he could easily have had Assassin or Anubis make, both have the necessary ties to Egypt and the other Items. What could Voldemort possibly give him? He's got enough power to kill some of the most powerful of these magic users , no matter how dark, he's got no reason to follow through with any bargain he made with the human."

The other three were silent, digesting this.

"It's a good point." Bakura said slowly.

"And one that we can no longer investigate." Jess pointed out. "Not without the computer."

"…we'll have to find out another way. There _has_ to be a reason that Zorc's teamed up with a mortal." Marik said.

Jess let out a low growl of frustration. "Dammit!"

"Calm down." Bakura snapped. "Remember, we need to think clearer. We're down two, almost three, members and there's less than two months to figure out how we're going to fight an _army_, nine to Ra-knows-how-many."

"Sorry." Jess murmured. "But I _am_ worried. Something just doesn't sit well with me."

"I agree. Something's wrong." Yami said. "But for now, we need to focus. We don't have as many people as we'd like."

The pharaoh tilted his head, listening.

"What's wrong?" Marik asked.

"Our guest is awake." Yami answered, stepping back into the shadows with the other two yamis. "Careful, Jess."

Jess nodded, walking back into the room. _Time to make a new friend…._

**TBWL**

Alastor didn't know when he fell asleep, but he knew that when he woke, he felt different.

And he could see.

He found his staff leaning against the bed beside him and using it to pull himself to his feet. His clothes had been folded and placed on the end of the bed.

Looking down, he found himself in a pair of black, high-quality cotton pajamas.

Growling low in his throat, Alastor changed out of them and into his old clothes, tossing the pajamas onto the now unmade bed. Picking up his staff, he cautiously left the room.

The first thing he saw, was a teenager. Long light blue sleeves were rolled up and dark blue jeans were covered in paint stains. She had forgone shoes, which surprised him, seeing as it was below freezing here, where ever this was.

Long brown hair was tied back and pinned to the back of her head, keeping it out of her face and off her neck. She was already watching him with emotionless blue eyes and a soft smirk.

"Yo." She greeted, uncrossing her arms to wave at him.

Alastor placed the voice immediately.

"Lady."

"In the flesh." She said, her smirk growing.

"Where are your friends?"

"Watching." she said slyly. "They're not ready to show you their faces just yet."

"What's your real name?"

Lady smirked.

"Jessica Heather Black." she said, giving an exaggerated bow. "You can call me Jess. Anything else and I'll put your balls where your mouth is."

"Another Black." Alastor growled.

"A Wielder. Not a Black. I don't remember enough of my past as one to consider myself a part of my uncle's family."

"That why you took in Lupin and Black?"

"No. Sirius came to us under duress. A man in the Order was causing trouble. They had help, but they're not telling and we're not pressing."

"Why show me your face now? What makes you think I won't go and tell Albus exactly who you are?"

A malicious glint entered the girl's eyes. "Saying things like that…is what is going to keep you here, Mad Eye. Don't forget who holds more power here. We're willing to make nice with you since I'm sure by now, you're aware that Potter's changing and _everyone_ is going to want his power."

Alastor was silent. "I told Pharaoh that I don't respond well to threats." he finally replied.

"Threats? Did _you_ hear a threat, Thief?"

Thief's malicious laughter rang through the room. "I heard a promise. How 'bout you, Pharaoh?"

Pharaoh made a noise of agreement from the shadows.

"Be aware, Mad Eye, that Albus doesn't have our kind of power. You witnessed that. Now, if you don't mind, I need to check on Serpentine." Jess said, she bowed mockingly as she was engulfed in dark magic.

**TSW**

Jess stepped from her shadow portal, smiling at Yukina.

"He's approaching his third change." The ice demon said. "You will need to move Mr. Malfoy to his side soon."

"I know." Jess said, crouching next to the girl. "Any indication as to whether or not he's taking a negative change?"

"Not yet. But it is still too early to tell. We should have a good, not perfect, mind, but a good guess as to whether or not Professor Snape's going to make a good change by the end of the weekend." Yukina said.

"Thanks. How are you doing? This is the longest you've been away from Flame since you found him, right?"

Yukina shrugged. "I've been away numerous times, but no, never for this long. Normally I'm paired off with him and Kurama."

"Because Beth and Chaz want to be left alone, right." she smirked.

Yukina chuckled lightly. "Yes. And because Hiei's very protective of us both."

"That would make sense. You are both family."

Yukina hummed. "How is the infirmary coming along?" she asked.

"Well for the most part. The beds themselves are coming along slowly and the furniture stain smells horribly addicting but other than that really well."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Jess looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Maybe. I'll ask Ryou about you helping make bedcovers with both the Wielder and the Elemental insignias on them."

"I'd love to. You can only trek the halls so may times." The demon said with a soft smile.

Jess laughed.

**TSW**

Harry hated Dolores Jane Umbridge.

The pranking hadn't made her any more bearable.

Instead, she was coming down especially hard on the Alliance.

Every little infliction that they did from not dotting their 'i's and crossing their 't's, to making eye contact for too long.

It was probably a good thing that Bakura had been banned from Ryou's mind during this class.

As the class of fifth years sat in their class, awaiting the new assignment, Harry decided to play difficult.

He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the table. He ignored Draco's wary and amused eyes and the all out laughter from Malik.

"Mr. Potter." Umbridge began sweetly. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Putting my feet up." Harry answered coolly.

"Don't take that tone with me, Mr. Potter. And take your feet off my desk."

Harry yawned.

Draco put his head in his arms, shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Umbridge turned the color of her hideouts pink dress. "Mr. Potter. Get your feet off my table. And detention for insubordination."

"No. And there's no way I'm going to your poor excuse of a detention."

Umbridge's face darkened. "Potter."

"What now?"

"Feet off."

"Not. Happening."

By new, most of Harry's friends were either laughing or worried about his sanity.

Hermione leaned forward to hiss at her friend. "Harry! What are you doing? Stop being stupid."

Malik snickered. "Hush, Granger. This is making my life so much better right now. It's funny."

Yugi smirked back at him and Ron was shaking his head.

"I don't know whether to laugh or call you crazy." The red head whispered.

Now, Umbridge was bright red.

"Potter! Get out of my classroom!"

Harry shrugged. "Okay."

**TSW**

Jess was surprised when Harry walked into the Chamber of Secrets.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

Harry grinned. "She kicked me out."

Jess sighed. "You're far too happy about that."

Harry shrugged. "I really don't care."

Jess sighed again. "Come on then. You can help us with the infirmary."

"Isn't Moody still there?"

"Yeah. But he knows who I am. And he knows you. So long as you don't tell him you're a Wielder, nor do you tell them how you really know us, it shouldn't be a problem. If you want a suggestion on how you met us, use Sirius. He knows that the two of us are related now."

"Wait, you two are related?"

Jess winked at him, and Harry's vision was covered in blue-purple.

**TBWL**

Alastor looked up from his search of the room half painted room, when a voice appeared from no where.

"A little warning!"

A small black twister appeared in the room and Alastor turned to it, tensing.

"That takes all the fun out of it, Harry!" Jess said, laughing when Potter swayed slightly. "Alright?"

"Yeah…." Potter whispered breathlessly, full body shivers overtaking his body. Jess lay a hand on his shoulder, whispering something in the boy's ear.

"Potter!" Alastor called, tightening his grip on his staff. Potter turned his head to look at him, green eyes lit up and the boy stepped in front of the Black girl in a clearly protective move. "Potter, come here!"

Potter shook his head. "No, professor. Jess is my friend. I'm perfectly content to stay right where I am."

**TSW**

Marik smirked when Harry stepped protectively in front of Jess.

_**##This should be fun.##**_

_**--Hell yeah.--**_

"Potter, I said come here, these people are dangerous."

"No, professor. I know they are, but I'm pretty sure I know more about them than you do."

"Potter!"

Harry's eyes began to ice over, a clear sign he was getting pissed. Jess' smirked, crossing her arms under her breasts in amusement.

_**##Oh dear.##**_ Bakura cackled.

"Go back to your room, professor. I'm only here to serve out a class period setting up the hospital. Go back to your room and leave us alone."

"**Acc-**"

"Don't you dare, Alastor Moody. I _will_ send you to the afterlife."

Moody's gaze shifted to the shadows, searching for the pharaoh's voice.

"You don't harm one of us, Mad Eye." Jess hissed, the amused smirk slipping off her face. "And Harry Potter is as good as."

**TSW**

Yami frowned when Alastor backed off, returning to his room.

_**:Too easy.:**_ Harry said. _**:Mad Eye Moody **_**never**_** backs off that easily. He's a tenacious bastard.:**_

The yamis stepped from the shadows around the two.

_**##I think he's planning something.##**_

_**--Maybe our warning just got through to him.--**_ Marik suggested, earning disbelieving looks from the other four. _**--What?--**_

_**:Nothing, Guardian.:**_ Harry said, shaking his head. _**:Nothing at all.:**_

_**//We may not get an ally out of him like we'd planned, Lady.//**_

_**:You may need to sweeten the pot, guys. Mad Eye's one of the Old Man's most loyal.:**_

Yami looked thoughtful.

'_**An idea, Pharaoh?'**_

_**//Perhaps.//**_

_**##What do you have in mind?##**_

_**//Patience, Thief. Patience.//**_ Yami whispered.

**TBWL**

Draco mentally follwed Harry around the castle, before turning his gaze to Blaise in the back of the room.

Blaise nodded minutely.

"Mr. Malfoy! Eyes front."

Malik muttered something in Arabic that didn't sound very complimentary.

"What was that, Mr. Ishtar?"

"You really wanna know?" Malik asked.

Umbridge's eyes narrowed.

"Don't push me, Ishtar."

"What's your problem?" Blaise asked, leaning back in his chair. "You seem to believe the Alliance is going to take this…attitude of yours, lying down with their throats exposed."

Umbridge's face darkened. "Mr. Zabini-"

"Professor!" A first year ran through the door. "Professor McGonagall would like to speak with Harry Potter."

Umbridge's scowl disappeared, replaced with her sickly sweet smile. "Tell her Mr. Potter didn't show up to class."

At least half a dozen students stood angrily.

"Marco, tell Professor McGonagall that Harry was kicked out of class and is unable to be reached." Yugi said quietly, leaning back and twirling the quill between his fingers, smiling soothingly at the first year, though his eyes had taken on an emotion that Draco was used to seeing in Yami's eyes when he was playing that card game with Bakura and/or Marik.

Like a cat playing with its food.

Said first year, however, didn't recognize that particular look and blushed, stuttering out a response. "S-sure, Yugi."

Malik drapped himself over his friend. "S-sure, Yugi." He mimicked as Marco left the room almost at a run and the bell rang.

"Shut up, Malik." Yugi said, smirking at Umbridge's scowling face. "Afternoon, professor."

"You think Harry's really going to skip that detention?" Hermione asked. "She's just going to make things worse if he does."

"Knowing Pheonix," Blaise said, walking up to the group. "I really wouldn't doubt him in that."

"But-"

"He's 'breaking free', Granger. He's sick of people controlling him, so he's annoying the fuck out of her and probably Dumbledore." Draco said, flicking his hair out of his eyes.

"But that's-"

"Breaking the rules?" Ron asked with a smirk.

"That's _exactly_ what Potter would do." Theo smirked.

"I can't wait to see what we've got for lunch." Ron said, effectively changing the subject.

**TSW**

Yami eyed the Great Hall lazily as he finished off Yugi's lunch, as had become habit for the Wielders.

It was still so bland in his eyes. Boring.

"**I know that look."** Bakura smirked. **"What's the pharaoh brooding about now?"**

Yami looked across the table at the thief. **"About how disgusting bland this Hall is."** He answered, smirking.

Marik snorted. **"Not up to the Kings' standards?"**

Yami and Bakura both answered. **"Not a chance."**

"…**Damn."** Marik whistled. **"Synchronized and everything."**

"**Want to hear something else, Marik?"** Bakura asked sweetly.

"**Shut up, Marik."** The two 'kings' chorused.

Marik stuck his tongue out at the two. **"You're both mean."**

"Yugi?"

Yami glanced at the first year, relinquishing control back to his hikari.

"What's wrong, Nigel?"

"I was wondering whether or not the meeting tonight-"

"We're still having it." Bakura said, mocking his hikari perfectly.

"Don't worry about the Aurors, patrolling the school. Fred and George are taking _them_ for a 'trip'." Marik grinned.

Yugi winked and smiled at Nigel. "I'm sure Ryou'll be happy to help as well."

"If he's not, I sure as hell am." Marik said, leaning back and linking his hands behind his head.

"**Shut up, Marik."**

Bakura glanced at the door as the first year walked away.

_**##Where is she going that she just walked all the way up from the dungeons instead of just shadow teleporting?##**_

_**//Don't know.//**_

_**/Want to check it out?/**_

_**-Or we can just ask.-**_

_**--Oi! Lady!--**_

'_**Da?'**_

_**--Where are you going?--**_

'_**To Hogsmaede.'**_

_**--What?--**_

'_**You'll see when the Alliance meeting begins.'**_

_**--I hate surprises, Lady.--**_

_**##Me too.##**_

'_**You'll like this one, I promise.'**_

_**//Don't do anything stupid.//**_

'_**Wouldn't dream of it.'**_

Yami frowned when Ryou appeared beside Bakura in his spirit form, smirking.

"**What happened?"** He asked, switching subconsciously to Egyptian.

_**#She decked him.#**_ Ryou said cheerfully.

"**She what?"** Bakura asked.

_**#She decked Mad Eye. Left him on the floor down there.#**_

"**And I'm guessing that you left him there too."** Bakura smirked. **"Your lack of caring makes me curious. What did he do?"**

Ryou's eyes lit up in amusement.

_**#Mad Eye verbally attacked her. Accusing her of using dark magic to taint Phoenix's mind and turn him against the 'light'.#**_

_**//So she decked him?//**_ Yami asked, appearing behind his hikari in spirit form.

_**#Of course not. First he burned one of the walls by attacking her.#**_

"**He did what?!"**

"**Calm down, Bakura, this is getting interesting."**

_**#Anyways, Lady got pissed and shot him in the arm before she punched him in the gut, groin, and face. Then we both left. Keeper's supposed to go and fix the paint job. Payback.#**_

_**-Bitch!-**_ Malik yelled from the innards of his yamis mind.

_**//You're fault, Keeper. You shouldn't've dumped the paint on the floor.//**_

_**-I didn't….-**_

_**#No, you got it in her hair too.#**_

_**-Not fair! You're all ganging up on me!-**_

"**Leave my Malik-chan alone!"**

Yugi smiled softly, watching/listening to his friends' banter. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and tilted his head back to look at Yami.

"**Love you."** Yugi whispered, closing his eyes.

Yami flinched minutely at the image. Unbidden, the image of his love's last breath came to mind before he could banish it.

_//Love you, too.//_

**TSS**

Lady blended in seamlessly with the crowd, Lucifer would give her that.

As he watched his prey, it became increasingly difficult to keep his eyes on her.

Following her through the doors of one of the darker shops, he allowed his natural ability to conceal himself from her eyes, slip over his body.

Here, he could see her a bit more clearly.

Hair off her neck, revealing a soft throat with a mark, faded, but it called to him. Her body was encased in enticing black leather, that fit her body far too well.

The man at the counter, old enough to be the Wielder's grandfather, visibly drooled and the action made him bite back a growl.

'_What's wrong with me?'_ He snarled. _'What is it about this girl that puts my control on the line?'_

"Can I help you?"

"Of course," Lady purred. "You can start by looking me in the eye, not the chest." She snapped, her fingers playing along the grip of the .45 he knew was holstered beneath the dark cloak she wore, which really only concealed the multiple weapons he knew to be on her person.

Lucifer felt a smirk curl on his lips at the girl's spirit, and her clear desire to do physical harm to the shop owner.

"I apologize, ma'am."

Lady snorted. "Anyways, I need someone to pick up a large shipment of weapons up to the castle."

The shopkeeper frowned. "To the castle?"

"Are you going deaf, old man? Yes, to the castle. And I don't want any of the teachers there aware of it, am I clear?"

"What will you give me for my silence?" He asked with a lecherous grin, leaning over the counter.

Lady's eyes narrowed in disgust. "You really want to know?" She asked.

"Mmhm."

"Alright."

The man was met with a .45 to the nose and a dagger under his chin, lifting the pervert's eyes back to her own with the flat of it. "You get to live."

The older man swallowed thickly. "Ye-yes of course."

"If you're caught…." She left the sentence to trail off.

"I won't be. I'm the best in the business." The man grinned weakly. "When do you want them delivered?"

"Just inside the gates, tonight at six. The job must be finished no later than seven-thirty."

"Of course, madam."

"Good." Lady murmured, withdrawing the two weapons and tucking them back out of sight. "Have a nice afternoon."

Lucifer watched her leave the store before following her back to the castle and going back to the Black Tower.

**TSW**

Jess felt the mark on her throat tingle faintly throughout the entire journey to and from the shop. She knew he was close to her, but she wasn't sure if he was waiting for her, to attack her or if he was here for other business and just happened to be in the same vicinity as she was.

'_Zane….'_

**TBWL**

Alastor came to later that night, wincing at the bruised ribs, broken nose, and throbbing shoulder.

"Hurts doesn't it, Moody." A taunting voice muttered in his ear.

"What?"

Thief sneered at him. "I'm not a happy person. And when _I'm_ not happy, people I'm around have a tendency to get _hurt_." He accented the word by skillfully breaking his wrist with two fingers.

"I was quite content with you, until you attacked my sister." Thief snarled.

"An-another Black." Alastor spat.

"We're not related, Moody." A different voice answered.

"Sirius?"

Sirius Black sat on one of the boxes, watching Alastor with an unreadable expression. "I thought you smarter, Mad Eye." The convict said. "I can't believe that you'd go after a Wielder like that. After my _niece_ like that."

Thief hummed as he neatly snapped Alastor's fingers, one by one.

"Sirius, where's Remus? We need to get him back bef-ah!" The Auror screamed in agony.

Thief laughed. "Talking may not be the best thing to do right now, Mad Eye. You might bite your tongue."

"B-bastard."

"'Bastard?' This is punishment, Alastor. For attacking a Wielder and putting someone I care for in danger? You mortals do the same, punish those that attack their friends and family. How, exactly, does this make _me_ a 'bastard'?" Thief asked viciously. "Snape, a _potion's-professor-turned-spy_ went through this every night up until he went missing. Why can't you last five minutes, 'Auror'?"

"Snape?" Alastor asked gruffly through his pain. "Where's Snape? What have you done with him?"

"So you _do_ care." Sirius sneered. "It's amazing. And here I thought that you were too busy kissing Albus Dumbledore's ass to give a damn." The animagus jumped off the box and strode for the door. "Thanks for letting me watch."

Thief hummed.

"See you when you wake, Mad Eye. Try not to be late, Thief. Pharaoh's already up our ass and I want to know about this gift that Jess is getting for everyone."

"Da." Thief drawled in partial distraction.

Alastor said nothing as Sirius walked out the door.

**TBWL**

Remus sat in his mind and looked around the darkness of his mind.

"Moony?"

The darkness shifted restlessly.

"Moony, I can't hold myself here forever."

Slowly, the canine walked into the only light in the entire place, given off by Remus himself. The demon-animal was truly changing.

The once lanky, short-haired werewolf was now even more bent over, the fur just a bit longer, the fingers and claws all shorter, but still sharp. The entire creature was a lighter brown and not covered in blood, as Remus was so used to remembering him as.

Amber eyes trailed cautiously over the human.

"Remus?"

"It's nice to finally meet you face-to-face, Moony."

The were-lycan sat a good distance away from Remus, close enough to the darkness of their mind that the wolf could disappear back inside it just by turning around.

"What do you think about changes, Remus?"

Remus blinked, slightly confused and still awestruck at the changes overcoming his inner demon. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not so sure about this…change that is happening to me. To the both of us."

Remus frowned. "Do you not want to?"

Moony hunched over even further, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy. "I was _born_ this way. _Created_ this way. Why should I change my appearance to…suit your needs?"

Remus couldn't have been more surprised if the wolf had struck him. "Is that what you believe, Moony? That I'm doing this to be inhumane to you? To make _myself_ feel better?"

The other watched him.

Remus sighed, running his hands through his, lengthening, hair. "Moony. I don't want either of us to go through anything like what they put us through before we met our pack. I don't want us to be treated like trash, like a disease anymore. The Maraurders have practically healed us, but those wounds could still bleed anew and I don't want to see it happen again. I don't want another misunderstanding like with the Wolfsbane."

"But master-"

"Don't _ever_ call me master, Moony. I don't want that title."

The wolf was now so hunched over that he might as well be lying on the ground. "Remus, then. What will change outside? Humans will still look at us with fear in their eyes. Wizards and humans will still look down on us for being not like them. Because you can change into a different shape."

"And what about the Wielders?" Remus asked. "Sirius? Harry? The Stranger?"

Moony cocked his head. "What of them?"

"'Those who care don't matter and those who matter don't care', Moony." Remus quoted.

Moony whimpered quietly. "I think I understand now…. Thank you, Remus."

"You're as much my friend, Moony, as those on the Outside. I don't care what anyone else thinks." The human said before Moony and the dark world of his mind disappeared.

**TSS**

"Where have you been, Lucifer?" Anubis sneered.

"What makes it your concern, Anubis?" the vampire shot back.

"The Master's been asking for you for hours."

"I'll get back to him at my earliest convenience." Lucifer said lazily.

Anubis growled softly as Lucifer stalked calmly past him.

Lucifer sat in the room Zorc had given him, staring at the dark colored ceiling.

'…_why do I want to tear the old mortal fool to pieces for what he pulled? It can't be more than just wanting to kill her…can it…?'_

**TSW**

The Chamber of Secrets, was much more crowded the weeks after Halloween. Another dozen students and they'd need to find a new place to practice/learn.

Malik had confided in the darker Wielders about the way the Defense students had stood to defend Harry's honor. All of them had been amused by the blush that had leaped to the first year, Marco's, face.

Draco and Bakura were still teasing the small boy about it.

Yami looked at the Alliance, floating nearly unseen by Salazar's ankles.

Amazingly, despite all the new members, it still ran seamlessly.

Playful taunts were thrown back and forth, advice from friends and once-enemies as well. The groups were getting along very well.

Bakura appeared at his side, arms crossed.

_**//What's on your mind, thief?//**_

_**##The fact that its quarter to seven and neither Guardian or Lady is around as promised.##**_

_**//Didn't she say that she'd be here at seven-thirty?//**_

_**##Guardian should be here, however.##**_

_**//Hm.//**_ Yami agreed, looking around.

_/Yami. You're worried now. What's bugging Bakura?/_

_//Marik's not here as promised.//_

_/Maybe he's with Jess./_

_//I know. And this surprise of hers is bugging the fuck out of me.//_

_/Because you don't know?/_ Yugi asked, amused.

_//Something about the way she announced it screams, 'dangerous'.//_

_/This is Bakura's prodigy, Yami. I don't doubt for a moment that its dangerous. The question you really want to know is: on a scale of one to ten, _how_ dangerous is it?/_

_//..what do you think?//_

_/Six at the highest. Jess knows when to stop./_

_//Duck, love.//_ Yami said, watching Malik charge a low level shadow ball behind his hikari, before continuing. _//I say seven. She wasn't in the happiest of moods the past couple days.//_

_/Hm. True./_

Bakura 'poked' his friend. _**##Pharaoh, look.##**_

Yami frowned and followed the thief's gaze to one of the walls, where an inscription was slowly being etched into the stone.

_**//Are those heiroglyphs?//**_

_**##Looks like. Wanna get closer?##**_

_**//Rather I want to know who's sending a message from the Hufflepuff Common Room.//**_

_**##So that Indian spell works?##**_ Bakura asked, momentarily changing the subject.

_**//Da. Lady and Keeper tested it out last week.//**_

_**##Wow….##**_

_**#What are you two staring at?#**_

_**//Inscription from the Hufflepuff Common Room.//**_

_**##In Egyptian.##**_

There was silence.

_**;Doesn't that mean that someone gave the message in Egyptian?;**_ Blaise asked.

_**-Yes it does. Lady and I experimented with different languages.-**_

_**:Want me to call a halt to the meeting?:**_ Harry asked, trying very hard not to look up at the two spirits.

_**##In a second. It may be Lady or Guardian.##**_

The vast unlikeliness of Bakura's statement, went ignored.

Yugi followed his yami to the wall, waving off the curious and worried looks.

_**#Anyone else find it cute that just about every single person here fears getting caught, not because of the punishment, but because they won't see new friends anymore.#**_

_**-…I wouldn't use the word 'cute', Healer.-**_

Yami ran incorporeal fingers over the carved symbols.

_/Yami?/_ Yugi asked gently, breaking the pharaoh's concentration.

_//Someone's a very good linguistic.//_ Yami said distractedly.

_/How do you mean?/_

_/It was said in Egyptian, but the translated words make no sense to me.//_

Yugi frowned thoughtfully. _/Can you write the translation out? We can have the Alliance work on other languages./_

_//Perhaps…. Paper?//_

_/I'll go get some./_

_//Just summon it. The inscription's beginning to fade and we need to write out both.//_

_/Hai./_

As the paper floated into Yugi's hands, he relinquished control to his older lover and watched the symbols spill with practiced precision from the end of the quill. Yami was right. The words translated into another language entirely.

_/This won't be easy…./_

_//No it won't.//_

_/Certainly makes life more difficult for us, whoever sent this certainly doesn't like us too much./_

_//Or perhaps they have faith in our abilities and resources.//_

_/Perhaps./_ Yugi agreed.

Bakura gave an excited gasp behind the two, causing them to turn and look at the Thief strangely.

_**//You sound like a woman.//**_

_**##Dude! She got us fucking weapons!!##**_

_**//What are you-Lady! What the fuck is wrong with you?!//**_

Indeed, Jess and Marik, cloaked and warded so the only way to find them would be the old fashioned way of looking with one's eyes, stood in the doorway, case upon case of weapons of various sizes and shapes artfully arranged around them.

'_**That it's time for a bit more fun. And perhaps some well practiced acting on Keeper's part.'**_

_**-Wha-?-**_

Malik fell silent, but a subtle glaze in his 'eyes' explained Marik's interference for a private chat.

**TSW**

Bakura was practically dancing at the sight of the boxes he _knew_ to contain at least one of his prized set of daggers, custom made for him by one of the few weapons makers in Kul Elna all those years ago.

Ryou's sharp mental tug brought him down from cloud nine and back to the Alliance meeting.

Looking up, he saw that all of the Alliance was now looking at Jess and Marik.

Yugi's spectral form disappeared back into the Millennium Puzzle, frowning at Malik's sudden giddy aura, the Ring spirit did the same, silently prodding Ryou's mind.

Ryou, too focused on the unfolding drama before them, only absently merged with his yami.

_##Ry, I suggest moving aside. I think Malik's going to jump his sex toy.##_

The thief smiled wickedly when his hikari blushed and their minds merged, completing the body of the Spirits of the Ring.

Idly, they noticed that Yami and Yugi had done the same and the two cautiously moved away from Malik's far too bright eyes.

_**///Wonder what they're planning.///**_

_**###We're about to find out.###**_

"Hello, Hogwarts Alliance." Jess grinned.

Students shifted uncomfortably, grouping closer together. They'd been caught, but not by professors. And they didn't know how to deal with it.

"What's wrong? Don't want our gifts?" Marik drawled.

"Depends." Draco drawled, following his hikari towards the multitude of boxes.

"On what?" Jess cheekily.

"What the gift is." Harry said quietly.

"They're weapons." the Ring answered, maneuvering away from the wall he and the Puzzle had leaned against to flank the two younger Wielders.

_**///Weird aura.///**_

_**###Indeed.###**_

'_**No need to combine, boys. These don't have the Soul Abilities yet.'**_

_**###Yet?###**_

_**///What are you planning, Shadow Guard?///**_

'_**An army fit for the Prince of Demons.'**_ The woman sneered, already annoyed with the Items.

_**###The Prince is gone.###**_

A quiet growl escaped Jess' lips and the Alliance winced, almost as one.

_**--Please don't antagonize her, she's not taking that well.--**_

_**-Something **_**all**_** the Items know very well.-**_ Malik pointed out. While the Millennium Items didn't often speak out against Jess, they almost always managed to annoy her in some way, shape, or form.

_**###…you need to step up the pace. The Dark Item will be ready in a matter of days.###**_

_**///And we won't win against it as long as it's in the hands of the Dark Creator.///**_

'_**Acknowledged. Now skedaddle. I have an unveiling planned.'**_

_**###Don't stall.###**_ the Ring warned before Bakura's spirit was forced from the joining and into the air, with all the force of cannon fire.

_##That's annoying.##_

Ryou gave an almost inaudible groan.

_#You have no idea. Stupid joining always leaves me with a fucking headache.#_

_##Have you always sworn this much?##_ Bakura teased lightly.

_#Fuck you, Bakura.#_

_##Is that an invitation?##_

_#Bakura!#_ Ryou winced at the same time he shouted at his yami.

Bakura laughed.

"Anyways, Ryou's right. They are weapons. And between all of us, we should be able to teach every one of you, how to use them, ne Guardian?"

Bakura swore quietly when Marik slid the hood off of his head, shaking out the blond locks that had been hidden beneath them.

"Marik!"

"Oomph!"

"That wasn't expected." Yami muttered beside Ryou, rubbing his own forehead.

Malik had knocked his lover backwards with the force of his hug and both toppled out of view, leaving Jess to stare out into the darkness as she slid her own hood off her shoulders and shook her ponytail free of the cloth.

"Wow…." she murmured.

"Well, its not like we get to see our lovers, Jess." Malik reasoned as he came back up, clinging to Malik's neck as his other carried him on his back into the Chamber.

"Oh well." Jess smirked. "They work better when they have something to work for."

"Bullshit." Ryou snorted, glancing up at his glaring yami.

_##Hush you.##_

_#It's true.#_

_##This is payback isn't it.##_

_#Of course.#_

Jess bowed mockingly. "So, two of the Wielders are revealed to you. The ball is in Hogwarts' court, so to speak."

**TBWL**

Slowly, Ron walked forward, aware of every eye in the Chamber on him.

"You said you had a gift?"

Marik smirked, kicking a crate towards him. "A peace offering. And get off of my back, Malik."

Ron pried the lid off the crate. The sound echoing in the silence. "Shit." he breathed, picking up one of the weapons revealed.

The two swords in the case almost glowed in the fire light, the hilts were a deep ruby with a pacing gold lion on the blade just above them. The sheaths were black, with the crest of Hogwarts in the center. There were symbols he couldn't translate, running down the opposite side of them in gold.

"Leo." Jess said, drawing Ron's attention to her and away from the sword in his hand. "Both your name and theirs."

"The Wielders have spent more time with your six leaders, than any of the rest of you. In thanks for their trust, and their desire to take the chance to trust us and give the Alliance a chance, we have gifted them with weapons that suit their names within the Alliance as a whole. Through their contact with you, there are over 700,000 weapons here all crafted specifically for a member of the Hogwarts Alliance. Think of it as a thank you." Marik said, the silence making his voice travel.

"You all have weapons here. Most of you can do whatever you want with them. Although, we've made a promise that no weapon will leave this room until you can use them without injuring yourself or others by accident."

"Taurus." Jess said, a large crate cracking open with a wave of her hand.

An intricately carved bow was nestled among the straw, unstrung. "Keeper should be able to help you with that."

"Aquarius."

Another crate, smaller than both Ron's and Pansy's cracked open. The hilt was bright blue and partially transparent. The blade glinted sterling silver, but looked thin enough to break at any moment. "Sterling silver blessed rapier. Don't twist the hilt too much. There's a dagger coated with Black Death in it."

Theo's breath hitched behind Ron.

"Virgo." Jess opened a small box. Pinned to the bottom, a snake skin whip, metal spikes on the ends gave off a dull glimmer of light. "Skin of the basilisk. The very same that once dwelt in this very same Chamber. It's rather rough, try not to cut your skin on it. You don't want to see the results."

Hermione swallowed, ignoring Ron's knowing eyes.

"Pisces." There was a thunk and every eye in the chamber turned sharply. "Throwing knives. Blades are created from the scales of the Atlanteans. I was told to tell you to experiment with different plants and find the effects."

All eyes turned to Harry and Draco.

"You both knew about this, didn't you." Yami smirked.

Harry mumbled something and the pharaoh's eyes softened slightly.

"You, my friend, are a grade A sap." Blaise said, grinning as he draped himself over Harry.

Harry smirked. "In the past four weeks, we've done what Dumbledore has tried to do for almost seventy-five years. I thought it deserved a reward. It's not like I'm using the Potter fortune."

Eyes widened at the implication.

"Damn, Harry!" Ron yelled. "You kept this a secret?"

"I knew." Draco said, raising a hand. "He needed to know a competent weapons maker."

"Now, you have the next hour. Every one sit down and group by group, we'll get through you all." Jess said, smiling brightly.

**TSW**

"**I like this kid."** Ryou heard Yami murmur.

Malik had left Marik alone, and now leaned against the wall beside Yami and Ryou. The hikari was sitting on the floor, a barrier up to keep most of the noise out and allow the pain in his head to settle until he could get something for it.

"**Why?"** Malik asked.

"**Because he's not like Kaiba."** Yami said dryly. **"Actually, its because of the answer he gave me. Which I have no intention of telling you."**

Malik pouted. **"No fun."**

"**Malik, do me a favor."** Ryou murmured.

Malik looked down at him. **"Hm?"**

"**Ask when Marik figured out what Jess was doing?"**

Malik frowned. **"Why don't you ask him yourself?"**

Yami smirked. **"Because Bakura left him to deal with the headache the Items left behind."**

"**Bakura's a bastard."** Ryou pouted.

_**##I am not!##**_

"**Bullshit."** Malik smirked at the spirit.

_**##Watch yourself, Keeper.##**_ Bakura hissed.

"**Please, as if you're not enjoying it."** Ryou snapped.

"**That's uncalled for, Ryou."** Yami cut in coolly. **"I don't think **_**anyone**_** enjoys being insulted by their loved ones."**

"…**I'm sorry."** Ryou murmured quietly. **"I don't know what made me so angry…."**

Yami and Malik frowned at one another.

Ryou was rarely angry. And he _always_ knew what it was that pissed him off.

"**Marik said Jess came to him four hours ago and said it was time to show that the Hogwarts Alliance had outside help."** Malik said quietly. The white mage lay his head on his drawn up knees. **"Go get some sleep, Ryou. And grab one of your potions, too. Get rid of your headache."** The blond Wielder said, rubbing his friend's shoulder.

"**Yeah."** Ryou said slowly, standing up. He swayed at the abrupt movement and winced at the stab of pain that flashed through his skull. He sighed when Bakura's spectral hands steadied him, and the pain faded slightly. **"Thanks, 'kura."**

**TSW**

Jess watched the last of the Alliance approach Marik before she frowned at Harry and Draco. "I seriously can't believe that you two refused to have weapons made for yourselves."

"Because we don't want them." Draco shrugged.

"They're going to believe that you're trying to buy them, Harry." Yami said, smirking at the Gryffindor.

Harry shook his head. "They earned them."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Blaise is right. You're a sap."

Harry smiled brightly at him.

**TSS**

Frowning at the foolish pain in the ass that Zorc had sent to fetch him, Lucifer didn't bother to restrain his growl.

"Fool."

The fool's head rolled down the hall as Lucifer walked past him.

"What the hell are you doing?! I was the Master's best!"

Lucifer ignored the disembodied head, even going so far as to kick the talking head as he passed it.

Pushing the door open, Lucifer called out the two figures at the other side of the room. "What the fuck do you want?"

"**Where were you, Lucifer, that you didn't answer my summons two hours ago?"**

"Not here, obviously." Lucifer answered, sarcastically.

"**Where were you?"**

"I wasn't here. Now what do you want?"

"**Your army is ready to begin moving, Lucifer. I want you to approach Hogwarts and attack when the wards fall."**

"And what's so important at the school for mortals?" Lucifer asked, narrowing his eyes.

"The Wielderss." Voldemort drawled, as if he had read the vampire's mind.

Lucifer's eyes drifted to the wizard, smirking. "You think?"

"**I want the girl and the Millennium Puzzle."**

"Alive, dead, uninjured?"

"**Alive. Not necessarily uninjured."** Zorc allowed.

Lucifer snorted. "Whatever."

"**Anubis!"**

The false god walked into the room, bowing low before the black, shadowy humanoid figure. "Dark One?"

"**You and Assassin are to follow Lucifer to Hogwarts under his command."** Zorc ordered.

"_His_ command?! But sir-"

"As you wish."

Lucifer tilted his head to the side, looking at the woman in the doorway.

"**Good."**

Lucifer passed Assassin without a glance, despite the sultry look she shot him as he walked out the doors. "Not interested." He drawled.

Assassin blinked.

"Hurry up, you two!" Lucifer called back. "I have no intention of waiting forever for you!"

**TSS**

Akunadin, Zorc's most trusted, as he had killed his own son without the slightest of hestation in order to protect the Dark One, watched as the Shadow Vixens and Ancients spilled from the hole in the wall of the Shadow Realm, merging almost seamlessly with the vampires and other, less important, demons that marched out the gates of the Black Tower and down the slopes of the Russian mountain.

"**Master."** he said quietly. **"Do you trust Zane to do this?"**

Zorc laughed. **"Ah, I was waiting for you to ask that question. And I have very little faith that we will fail, as long as the Elementals do not arrive. It will not be long before they find out about our…new ally."**

"**Do you wish for me to speak with him?"** Akunadin asked.

Zorc hummed lightly behind him. The Dark Priest didn't need to look at his lord and master to know he too, was watching the army of demons march to war. **"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Wait until they are closer to the school."**

"…**. As you wish, Master."**

**TSW**

Ryou flinched violently, nearly punching Marik in the mouth, when the blond yami came to wake him for lunch the next day.

"**Damn, Ryou."** Marik hissed, pulling back. **"What's with you?"**

"**I guess…I'm just touchy. Three times now, Zorc's breached our wards. It's setting me a bit on edge."**

"**A bit?"** Marik drawled sarcastically. **"I think you're a bit tense. Baybe you and 'kura should take the day off."**

"…**. Where's Jess?"** Ryou asked, standing to get dressed.

Marik stepped back to lean against the wall, waiting. **"She left early last night…or this morning. Anyways, we probably won't see her for a few days."**

"**Where'd she go?"**

"**No one knows. She just said she's following an instinct and'll contact us when or if she finds something."**

"**Hm. Wonder what hit her."**

"**Aren't we all."** Marik replied. **"Ready?"**

"**Where are we going?"**

"**San Francisco. Yugi and Yami are in detention, keeping Toad lady busy."**

"**Just you and I?"**

"**Bakura and Marik are researching the dragon and working on the hospital respectively. We're taking Harry with us. Draco's got homework."**

Ryou stretched, giving a happy sigh. **"I love robes and cloaks and all, but I feel so much better without them on****."** he said cheerfully.

Marik laughed. **"I can tell."**

Indeed, Marik noticed, dressed in blue jeans and a deep red t-shirt and an open black button up, Ryou did look happier. As the white haired man pulled on his black and red sneakers, Marik pushed off the wall.

"**Did you notice that you and Malik are the only two of us who never wear leather."**

"**I find it restricting."** Ryou answered. **"So I don't wear it."**

"**Bet you enjoy taking it off, though."** Marik teased.

Ryou flushed darkly. **"MARIK ISHTAR!"**

Marik cackled evilly as he ran from the room, Ryou on his heels.


	22. The Pegasus

**Shadow Wielders: Revamped**

**Disclaimer: **I swear to you, these characters jumped down my throat and took over my fingers when I wrote this chapter. I own nothing, literally and figuratively. Though I do own the seven HP books and the Pyramid of Light movie, if that counts…. Also, I am not a martial artist in any sense of the word. The most I am likely to be able to do, is break your nose with my fist if I'm lucky. Don't take my word, that any move mentioned in this chapter, or in any hereafter, actually work.

The Pegasus

Harry looked around the American town curiously.

"Never been to America, Harry?" Ryou asked, smiling at him in a way that the Gryffindor had never seen from the older Wielder. Like nothing bothered him and the world was at peace, if only for the time being. Harry couldn't be sure, but he wondered, in the back of his mind, if this is the way that the other hikari looked at Bakura.

"Never been outside of Europe." Harry answered, smiling back shakily, in the face of such open emotion.

"That sucks." Marik said from behind the two, his eyes on their surroundings, not on the two hikaris.

If Ryou had lightened up, being away from Hogwarts, Marik had tensed even further than was normal, in Harry's opinion.

Harry glanced worriedly at Ryou, silently asking for an explanation.

The other hikari smiled wryly. "While this isn't the first time that a yami has left his hikari in the hands of another, it never gets easy for them, trying to live up to the trust being placed on them." The older boy answered. "We have found, that even after everything we've seen and done in the world, a hikari never loses their innocence. And that innocence and our, apparently innate, beauty call to all the wrong types of people in the world."

Harry frowned. "What does that mean? All the wrong people?"

"People who want to use you, Harry. People who enjoy watching pretty things break." Marik answered. "Rapists and bullies."

Harry shifted, suddenly uneasy with this new knowledge, being so far away from anything that he knew and understood. He cleared his throat, more for something to do, than because he needed it. "So…where are we going?"

"Lunch, than to Industrial Illusions." Ryou said, grinning. "Which is why we dragged you away from your food in the Great Hall."

Harry gave him a half hearted smirk. Marik clapped him on the shoulder, smiling darkly. "Lighten up and enjoy yourself, kid. I won't let anyone hurt you, promise." The blond looked over at the white-haired hikari. "Where to for lunch, Ryou?"

"I want seafood." Ryou answered brightly.

Marik rolled his eyes. "Fine. Lead the way."

Ryou winked at Harry and grabbed the hikari by the hand, pulling him down the street through the crowd of afternoon lunch seekers.

What neither of the older Wielders told Harry, was that as they left the shadowed overhang that had hidden their arrival from prying eyes, they both felt the malicious eyes watching them.

Something unpleasant, had entered the usually protected city of San Francisco.

**TSW**

_**-Be careful, Ryou.-**_ Marik said privately.

_**##I can feel them.##**_ Ryou said coolly. _**##But I will be damned if they are going to keep me from enjoying my day away from the dark clouds of Hogwarts and the crap weather of England.##**_

Marik chuckled to himself. Despite how _desired_ the hikaris were, and how much stress it put on their yamis to trust another with them, their lighter halves all had an unbreakable will of their own.

It was part of what attracted their darker halves to them.

And of course, the innocence as well.

**TBWL**

Unaware of the conversation between the two Wielders, at least for the moment, Harry was trying to do as Ryou had said, and enjoy the city.

"So, how long are we staying here?"

"At least until four. It'll take until then to build up the power to get us back to Hogwarts. A jump of this magnitude, even with the boost from Yami, is tiring. And we'll need to get back under our own power." Ryou answered.

"That leaves us with four or five hours, to show you around San Fran. The only city in America, under the protection of the Shadow Wielders."

"Cool." Harry said, grinning.

Ryou pushed open the door to the restaurant, and breezed through, shouting something in another language to the back room.

"Chinese." Marik whispered in the younger boy's ear, making Harry jump. "We've all been around long enough, that we all speak at the very least, four languages. All in addition to the necessary Egyptian and Japanese we were born with, and the most common language in the world now, English."

"That's…wicked." Harry murmured, glancing around the small restaurant.

"Tell me what you see." Marik said quietly, leaning against the counter and looking around. "And then I'll tell you what _I_ see."

Harry looked again, trying to see anything that looked out of place. "Nothing. Is there anything _to_ see?"

Marik smirked and nudged him with his shoulder. "The couple in the corner. Vampires. You can tell, if nothing else, because they've got ten glasses on the table and still no food. Vampires don't need, or want it, to live. They're searching for something. Their eyes don't stay in one place for very long and they rarely look at one another for longer than three or four seconds."

He nodded to a man in the far corner, watching the people through the window. Harry curled his nose a bit, imagining what he probably smelled like, based on his filth covered skin and clothes. "He's an informant. And a damn good one. When he put on his disguise this morning, he forgot his manicured fingernails. He works for Pegasus and the Elementals."

"Is this…a demon haunt?"

"Mmhm." Marik hummed, glancing up at Ryou. "Glamours are widely used here, because no one notices the demonic magic. There's an open gate to the Makkai about seven or eight hundred kilometers outside of Los Angelos and this place is practically covered in Shadow Magic."

"What about the vampires?" Harry asked, glancing at the couple. "Aren't they…dangerous?"

"Look at the back of the male's right hand," Marik said.

Harry had to stare at it for a long moment, before he spotted the ornate 'L' with a red rose entwined around it, apparently tattooed to the skin on the back of the male vampire's hand. "What is it?"

"A mourning mark." Ryou answered, speaking for the first time since Marik had begun his 'test'. "The 'L' tells you who they're mourning, and the rose is a sign of respect and/or mourning. What you want to focus on, however, is the 'L', on this mark."

Harry remembered, vaguely, an image of the Millennium Circle and an 'L', flashing through his mind.

"Lorenzo." The Gryffindor breathed. "They're mourning Lorenzo."

Ryou nodded. "It means that they either followed Lorenzo, or they at the very least respected him. No enemy of ours, will ever willingly bear the mourning mark of Lorenzo's clan."

Harry opened his mouth to ask why Zane never wore one, but he was interrupted, by the arrival of a man with brown eyes and hair to match it. When he spoke, Harry couldn't place the accent, nor why it sounded so familiar to him.

"Ryou. This way."

Ryou smiled his thanks, and the man flinched under Marik's gaze, quickly turning away and leading them to a booth not far from the informant Marik had pointed out to Harry.

Once they were seated, and the man moved away from them, Marik relaxed ever so slightly, against the seat beside Harry.

"Who is he?" Harry asked, he figured Marik would be protective of him and Ryou, but the blond yami seemed almost…hostile to the waiter.

"He's a demon sympathizer." Ryou answered, looking mildly amused at Marik's actions. "He hit on Malik once."

"That…explains a lot, actually." Harry said, grinning.

Ryou smirked.

Marik tilted his head back, snorting. "Bastard deserved what he got."

"He was only flirting!"

"With my hikari!"

Ryou sighed hopelessly, glaring across the table at Marik, who only shrugged.

"HI!"

Marik tilted his head to the side, not deeming it necessary to lift his head off its comfy perch, and rose a brow at the apparently very hyper teenager that skipped up next to him.

"I'm-"

"Yuffie! Stop scaring my fucking customers!"

"Shut up, Cid! If anyone's going to scare away the customers, its you and your swearing!"

Cid, the cashier on the opposite side of the counter from where the three Wielders had entered, stood up and dragged the girl into the back room, muttering about sugar highs and pathetic ninja.

There was a loud squeal that _definitely_ didn't come from Cid, a splash, several curse words that _did_ come from Cid, though Harry only recognized half of them, and then Marik started laughing.

Harry could only stare wide eyed at the doorway that the two employees had slipped through. "What the hell?"

Ryou smiled, not at all looking apologetic. "Yuffie's a bit…."

"Weird. But she's fun." Marik finished, grinning.

"One of the last true ninja on the planet." Ryou answered over the yami. "The last time we were here, the only Chinese native, was John, the man that Marik attempted to fry with his eyes earlier. Nearly everyone else here, is Japanese native." He glared at Marik. "None of that makes Yuffie weird."

Marik smirked slowly. "Does Bakura have competition?"

"Not a chance." Ryou snarled.

Harry could only shake his head, blinking when Yuffie finally walked out, soaking wet. He was glad that her clothes had been wrung out, so they weren't clinging to her too indecently, nor was she dripping nearly as much water, or whatever she'd been dunked in, all over the floor.

"Can I help you?" Yuffie asked tightly, making Harry shrink back against the wall, in an effort to make himself scarce.

"Yuffie?" Ryou asked. "Are you alright?"

Yuffie gave a beast like growl that made the tables around them fall silent. And the dirty informant quickly made himself scarce. The two vampires across from them were staring.

Marik, feeling Harry tense beside him, sat up slowly from his relaxed position.

Ryou narrowed his eyes on Harry, before glancing over at the dark Wielder. "Shit." he muttered.

**TSW**

"**Yuffie. I suggest you apologize."** Marik warned. **"We both know what happened to the last waiter that was rude to Bakura's friends."**

Yuffie glared over her shoulder at Cid, who stood in the doorway wringing out his apron of excess liquid, for several long moments, before she turned to look back at Ryou and bowed apologetically.

"Sorry, Ryou. I'm just angry that _someone_ dumped me in a vat of dirty dish water. I suppose the fact that he didn't get away unscathed either is good enough retribution."

Marik mimed gagging, and shook his head. "That's gross."

Cid scowled around the toothpick that seemed to be glued to the man's lips.

"It's alright, Yuffie. No harm done." Ryou glanced at Harry, who flinched slightly under his far too knowing gaze. "For the most part."

"Oh! A new one!"

Marik stiffened. "New what?" he asked gruffly. Ryou was gripping the salt shaker unnecessarily tight.

"Friend, of course! I never see the eight of you with anyone else. You finally brought a new friend here!"

Ryou and Marik both relaxed and Harry shifted uneasily. The two older Wielders sighed. "Yuffie. We just don't give a crap about making new friends like you do." Marik smirked.

Yuffie snorted. "I'm sure." she huffed. "Now," she picked up the pen she'd dropped on the table when she'd been dragged away. "What can I get for you?"

**TSW**

Bakura lazily flipped through another book on the breeds of Asian dragons, only twisting his head when Yami and Yugi walked into the room.

"**What's up?"** The thief asked.

"**Still nothing?"** Yugi asked in return, dropping onto the dark tan, almost brown couch across from the yami, trying to ignore how out of place it looked in the Room of Shadows.

"**I've been through nine books on American dragons, four on Australian, seven on Canadian, twelve on European, and six on Asian."** Bakura said, sighing heavily as he slammed the book closed and rubbed his eyes. **"And I've still got nothing."**

"**Seriously?"** Yami asked, frowning as leaned over the couch back beside his hikari.

Bakura glared at him, gesturing to the pile of books he'd apparently tossed on the floor beside his chair, too lazy to take the time to move them somewhere other than the table in front of him. **"What do you think?"**

Yami smirked and opened his mouth. **"Well-"**

**"Yami!" **Yugi frowned. **"Leave the poor man alone."**

"**What's left?"**

"**Demon, Hell, Divanterian, Shadow, Dark, Light, and Heaven."**

"**Wow. That's a lot of dragons."**

"**Yeah."** Bakura muttered. **"I'm ready to stab myself in the hand for not asking Priest about it. He'd, if nothing else, be able to cross some of these off."**

"**Probably."** Yami agreed. **"Want some help?"**

"**Wouldn't mind it."** The thief answered, dropping the book in his hand to the floor and pulling another off the table as the pharaoh vaulted the couch to sit beside his lover.

Yugi curled up against his lover, picking a random book off the covered coffee table onto his lap. **"Okay then."**

Yami, however, took out the paper with the unusual inscription from the Chamber of Secrets on it.

"**That thing still bothering you?"** Yugi asked, glancing at it as he flipped through the table of context, introduction, and other useless pages.

"**Yes."** The darker Wielder answered distractedly. **"What the hell does it mean?"**

"**The fuck are we supposed to know?"** Bakura asked.

Yami stuck his tongue out at him.

**TBWL**

Harry frowned at Ryou. "You want me to what?"

"Exactly what I said."

"But I thought-" Harry trailed off, looking up at the tall building, then at Marik, as if waiting for the yami to counter Ryou's plans.

"Don't worry, Harry. I won't be far from either of you. But Pegasus has the power to protect you, the same as I do. He's just…lost his darker half. With this in mind, Ryou needs me more than you do. It was hindsight that we sent one yami to protect two hikaris and I'm sorry we're practically leaving you in an unfamiliar city with an unfamiliar ally."

Harry flinched, the words driving home just how dependant the new hikari had become on the presence of others. _I've been up against Voldemort three times. I can handle meeting an eccentric old man._

_**-If you run into trouble, Phoenix, you can call on either of us and we'll be there before you can say the Dark Lord's true name.-**_ Marik whispered, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry took several deep breaths and relaxed, resolving to stop acting like a child.

Ryou pulled the child into a tight hug to whisper in his ear. "No matter what, Harry, even with just Pegasus up there, _be careful_."

Harry nodded shakily and the two Wielders disappeared back into the crowd, though he was sure he could still feel Marik's gaze on his back.

Regardless, the two had left Harry to walk through the doors of Industrial Illusions alone.

**TSW**

_**#I have a bad feeling about this.#**_

_**-So do I. But he was clear about wanting to meet with Harry alone for a few minutes, and it gives **_**us**_** time to deal with this other issue.-**_Marik soothed.

Ryou snorted. _**#The stupid winged horse is a crackpot, Guardian. Would **_**you**_** leave Keeper alone with him?#**_

_**-Yes.-**_

_**#Bad analogy. Your hikari can handle himself. My point is, Harry has little defense if the demented artist decides to try something.#**_

_**-We'll just have to trust him, Healer. Like we trust the Thief King. And like you all trust me.-**_

Ryou sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this argument. He sent his magic out in a wave, waiting for it to bounce back off of Harry's and his jaw tightened when he felt how truly uneasy the other hikari was. _**#I still don't like this.#**_

_**-We have to deal, Healer. Focus on our other problem.-**_

_**#Why are we even going after him? Kadaj is Elemental business. He's not a Dark Summoner and he's not our responsibility.#**_

_**-Admit it. You want to know why he's been following us around since we got here, too. You want to know how he knew we'd be here in the first place.-**_

_**#…. Fine. But you keep a close fucking eye on Phoenix, or I will filet your ass with Dark Necrofear, understand?#**_

_**-Yeah, Healer. I got it.-**_ Marik chuckled.

Ryou and Marik abandoned the street in front of Industrial Illusions' headquarters, positive that Harry was steadily working his way up to Pegasus' top floor office and was as safe as he was going to get away from the others, under the protection of the former Item Holder.

It was almost too easy to scale the side of a small shop and begin jumping from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of the flash of silver hair that they knew was their prey.

Kadaj was Blaise's oldest cousin, and was more often then not, seen in the presence of the current demon power hunter, Blaise and Chaz's father Sephiroth. It was well known that the silverette was worse off in the mental department than Marik ever had been, definitely the craziest of Sephiroth's three semi-unknown nephews.

The two used the term 'unknown' in the lightest of manners. To their knowledge, Blaise alone was unaware that he and his brother even _had_ another relative outside of their power hungry father.

Yami and Marik had stumbled upon the information by coincidence. Jess had sent them to help Lady Dark, the Elemental Leader, research the death of a young man who had lost his soul along with two thirds of his body.

As it turned out, the murder had been committed by Kadaj and his two brothers. A hungry demon had come across the man's soul before it had a chance to move on and had eaten it. Yami and Marik were virtually unneeded, but they were there when Chaz found out about his cousins.

Jess reported that her friend's boyfriend had been pissed for months.

_**#Is your ass even paying attention?#**_ Ryou asked cuttingly.

Marik tore his mind from the past and put it firmly in the present, narrowing his eyes on the silver haired man as he suddenly _stopped _and turned to smirk at the two Wielders.

_**#Something's not right.#**_

_**-He's baiting us. He knew damn well I'd follow him for answers.-**_ Marik agreed.

Ryou came to a stop on the edge of a rooftop about three buildings over from Kadaj's 'resting' place, but the yami leaped the distance without a problem, staring at the crazy man across from him.

"Ishtar!" Kadaj called, grinning insanely.

"You've baited me all the way the fuck up here, now what do we do?" Marik asked, twisting the end of the Millennium Rod slightly, freeing the dagger hidden there, though he didn't draw it just yet.

_**#I think…we've missed something very important, Guardian.#**_ Ryou said suddenly, turning to look back at the towering building that housed Harry and Pegasus.

_**-What's going through your mind?-**_

_**#You said…Kadaj had two brothers, yes? What are the odds that he would be here alone, when he barely escaped when the three of them went up against the four of you in Germany?#**_

Marik stilled, before a vicious snarl was torn from his throat. "Kadaj, what have you done?"

"It wasn't much. The old man you're so fond of wasn't there when we went to visit."

Ryou pulled the Shadows around himself and pulled himself towards Harry's aura.

Marik swore colorfully in every language he knew.

So much for a simple trip to the city.

**TBWL**

Harry walked slowly past the creepily smiling secretaries and to the elevator.

Something about this place, felt wrong and once the door closed, he shivered, stepping the way to the back of the small car.

Closing his eyes, it was instinct alone that had him diving out of the way of the bullet breezing through the still opening doors, the unfamiliar sounds of the gunshot and the ricocheting bullet echoing in his ears.

He bit his lip in an attempt to contain his pain filled scream, watching with almost horrified amazement, as blood welled from the graze. Even muffled, he still thought his scream echoed.

"Poor boy." A voice murmured in his ear.

"The Wielders recruit rather young." Another said, this one was deeper than the other.

Harry felt the first blow and then nothing, falling back on the tried and true method of retreating as far into his mind as possible in order to wait out the beating.

The Gryffindor's attempts to ward off a flashback, were in vain, and instead of slipping into safety, he slipped into the nightmares that were his memories.

**TBWL**

"_**BOY!"**_

_**Harry scrambled away from the broken vase stammering apologies uselessly.**_

"_**How **_**dare**_** you?"**_

_**Vernon's fist came down twice on already heavily bruised arms, raised to protect his head from the meaty fists, and Harry bit his lip to keep from screaming.**_

**TBWL**

_~Master Phoenix!~_

Harry's mind shied away from the call and the Shadow Creature that stood between him and his attackers flickered, the magician's own will wavering when he was unable to connect with his master.

_~Master! You must focus!~_

"Hey! Back off, you bullies!"

**TSW**

Ryou stepped through the portal and ducked just in time to avoid the flying shuriken that hurtled through the air. _What the fuck is she doing here?_

Ryou scanned the area quickly. Yuffie was standing resolutely between Harry, Kria, and Kadaj's two younger brothers, Yazoo and Loz.

Harry himself was curled in the corner of the elevator, Kria, Harry's White Magician, flickering between the Shadow Realm and the 'real' world. He was obviously there by choice and will, not because he was summoned.

"**Kria, it's alright now. We'll take care of him."** Ryou said just loudly enough to be heard by the Shadow Creature.

_~Healer.~_ Kria greeted, relieved. _~Something is wrong. He is awake, but he is not aware.~_

Ryou sneered, a very out of place expression on his normally soft features, but now was not the time to deal with his suddenly proven suspicions. **"I understand. Go back and rest, friend. I'll take care of him."**

The White Magician bowed deeply behind Yuffie's back, before he gratefully faded back into the comforting hands of the Shadow Realm.

Ryou stepped back through a second portal, past Yuffie to Harry's side.

"Harry?" The white mage called gently. "Its time to get up, Harry."

Harry whimpered, shifting closer to Ryou's comforting presence. "S-sorry."

"For what, Harry?" Ryou asked, his entire body pulsing out a near solid white aura, shoving Loz and Yazoo away from Yuffie and through the solid oak desk in the middle of the room. "What are you sorry for, young one?"

"B-breaking the v-vase."

_Vase? What vase?_ Ryou thought to himself.

"What's he mumbling about?" Yuffie asked, shifting her stance to provide better defense for the two Wielders.

Growling quietly, Ryou forced himself to think. Harry obviously needed help. He needed to be pulled out of his flashback, but with the very real, very dangerous threat posed by the two power hunters, and Yuffie's dubious loyalty, he needed _real_ help. He needed Marik.

But Marik was almost twelve blocks away and in the middle of a duel with one of the Elementals' primary enemies. To call on him now, could result in the yami making a fatal mistake.

Muttering curses fit for his own yami, Ryou pulled Harry tight to his chest, ready to teleport out of the building.

And was blindsided by a broken piece of wood that sliced through Yuffie's guard and her semi-exposed abdomen, the small stake embedding itself in his shoulder.

"Fuck." He hissed, pulling it free and tossing it to the side. Obviously, he and Harry weren't allowed to leave.

Pity for them he and Bakura both enjoyed rules about as much as they enjoyed getting teeth pulled.

Harry began to thrash in his arms, trying to ward off an attack Ryou couldn't see. "No! Please! I'm sorry!"

Standing, Ryou drew a small dagger from the sheath hidden beneath his long button up shirt. If they wanted to play, so be it.

_**#Guardian! We need help. This entire trip was an ambush from the start.#**_

_**-I'm a bit busy, Healer, the same as you. What the hell would you like me to do about it?-**_ Marik snapped back.

_**#Then fuck Kadaj, Guardian. Phoenix is having a flashback and they're making damn sure I can't leave here with him. Its **_**your**_** job to keep us as safe as possible, remember? That includes you using the Rod to call for help.#**_ Ryou snapped angrily.

Marik growled distractedly down the link. _**-When the hell did you become so damn bossy**__**?-**_ The yami asked angrily.

_**#When I became your fucking healer. Get help. Now. Preferably Pharaoh and Dragon, but Thief wouldn't be unwise either.#**_

_**-If I let him leave, Healer, he's going to make a break straight for the two of you, do you understand?-**_

_**#I can hold him off, Guardian, but not forever and not for very long. Be swift.#**_

_**-Done.-**_ The other muttered darkly.

**TSW**

Marik ducked under the dual-bladed katana Kadaj favored, and tossed a handful of only half stable Shadow Magic at his opponent.

Kadaj flipped backwards to avoid it, and Marik took two steps backwards and dropped off the rooftop, into the Shadows.

**TSW**

On the other side of the city, Marik dropped from thin air to land half crouched, half sitting on the filthy ground of a not very sanitary alley.

The Wielder quickly gained his bearings and shoved the dagger of the Millennium Rod back where it belonged, while focusing on amplifying the link with his Item and, hopefully, connecting to one of the Wielders at Hogwarts.

_**-Yo, anybody there?-**_

**TSW**

Yami felt the feather light brush of a Wielder on his mind and froze.

"What's wrong?" Bakura asked, looking up from his book, ready for any kind of distraction from the boredom that was research.

The pharaoh held up a finger to silence the thief and focused on the Puzzle's unifying ability, hoping to amplify its connection to the Rod and force the link open wider. The Puzzles on his and Yugi's chests both began to glow one after the other.

_**-…anybody there?-**_

Bakura and Yugi were alert immediately, and Yami could feel Malik in his mind, adding his own magic and his semi-unique connection to Marik to what Yami was using to continue to force open the link from an entire continent away.

_**/Guardian?/**_

_**-Pharoah! Thank fucking Ra, may he forgive his name usage.-**_

_**/What's wrong?/**_

_**-What's **_**not**_** wrong? From the start, this entire trip was a set up. Healer's throwing orders around, making me wonder if there's something beyond Phoenix's flashback that's drawing on the doctor in him.-**_

_**/Are they with you?/**_ Yami asked, throwing a warning glance in Bakura's direction.

_**-Not…really. We ran into problems. Like I said, this was a set up from the get-go. Our friend isn't here. Apparently Kadaj tried to pay him a visit earlier today. When Kadaj started following us around, from where we showed up, mind you, so he not only knew we were coming, he knew **_**where**_** we were going to teleport in, Healer and I grew suspicious and sent Phoenix up to his meeting on his own, believing him to be safe within the halls of a business owned by a former Item Wielder.-**_

_**/I take it he wasn't./**_ Yami pressed.

_**-No. It didn't occur to me or Healer, until after we'd already caught up with Kadaj, that Yazoo and Loz were missing. Healer went back to I**__**2**__** to help Phoenix. I don't know the situation there, but Healer is calling for aide, and as he has ruthlessly pointed out, I'm the only yami here **_**and**_** the only one with an Item powerful enough to connect to a mind practically on the other side of the globe.-**_

_**/We will be there, if you can buy us another five minutes./**_

_**-I can try. I can almost assure you that the moment I left my fight with Kadaj, he made for I**__**2**__** to help his brothers. And holding this connection isn't easy on my own.-**_

_**-Is Sephiroth there, Guardian?-**_ Malik asked, speaking for the first time through the strain of maintaining the long distance link.

_**-If he's here, he hasn't shown up yet.-**_

_**/Hang in there, Guardian. We're coming./**_

Bakura stared at Yami for a long moment, before he was up and out of his seat, the book dropping to the floor forgotten. "This will be the last time in a long time that I send Ryou anywhere without me." He snarled, practically tearing the door of its hinges. "Send up the damn signal. So we can get the hell out of here."

Yugi shook his head, eyes narrowing in annoyance and anger. "So much for a peaceful day of research." The hikari muttered, flipping over the armrest of the couch he and Yami had been resting on.

Yami snorted. "We really should have known better. A simple letter, is just too _normal_ for Pegasus." The pharaoh stood, his mind brushing the Shadow Realm and tugging.

All around the castle, people gasped, as a large, serpentine red dragon wrapped itself around Hogwarts. Lifting its head, the creature let out a loud, echoing roar.

The call to battle had been sent up.

And the Wielders were helpless but to answer.

**TSW**

The tower that Harry and Draco used for Shadow practice was busier than it had been yet.

Bakura paced restlessly, wanting nothing more than to be by his lovers side.

The Alliance, confused by the signal, had arrived moments after the elder Wielders had, and were being briefed on the situation.

Pansy, Hermione, and Neville were quick to act, pulling Ron and Theo down to the dungeon corridors, where they followed Kuri to the hospital where Yukina was currently putting together anything she could think of that would help Harry and the Wielders when they returned.

Draco was being prepped by Malik for long distance Shadow travel, something that the Wielders had hoped to ease him into, rather than take the long haul and just jump from the middle of Europe to the western side of the United States.

"Bakura, you need to be calm." Yugi muttered to the yami. "Reckless action will only get more people hurt. For all we know, getting all of us to one place, could be part of the trap they set."

Bakura turned sharply on his heel, slamming his fist through the outer wall of the tower. The other hand had grown sharp, black claws that were slowly digging their way through Hogwarts' battlements. The low growl that had been constantly going in his chest erupted into an all out angry snarl at the world at large.

"I know, Bakura. I promise you, when I find Pegasus, Bakura," Yami called, "you are more then welcome to the bastard's intestines. But until then, I need you sharp. You and I are likely the only two yamis still able to fight."

Yugi glanced up at his lover knowingly. "You want me and Draco to stay here."

Yami grimaced. "It would make me very happy." he admitted.

"But you know _I_ won't stay and you need Draco." Yugi said pointedly.

"Yes, but please, don't ask me to be happy about it. Marik and I both know Kadaj and his siblings. We got enough from that one meeting that we knew we never wanted any of them near our hikaris were we to meet up with them again."

"If you don't expect me to fight, then what the hell am I going for?" Draco asked.

"Because Harry will need you. And if we left you here, Yami knows that it would only make the unease you're feeling worse." Malik muttered distractedly. The blond hikari was stringing a bow while he spoke with the Slytherin, an over stuffed quiver of arrows sat at his feet and a long bladed knife lay unsheathed on the battlements beside him.

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Stay close to Harry." Malik answered, lifting the bow to eye level and pulling it back, testing the tautness of the string. "And make sure that nothing touches him. You and he are our weak links at the moment, and if Ryou is right about the flashback, Harry isn't even in the same time period as we are."

"Wonderful." Draco muttered mutinously.

"It could be worse." Yugi pointed out optimistically.

Bakura growled.

Shadi stepped from the shadows, a bruise still healing along the right side of his neck from where he'd fallen unconscious from the energy drain. "We could be going in blind." The man answered. "Bakura, it is time to lock away your anger. We must leave quickly or there will be nothing left to save."

Yami shifted slightly, glancing over at Malik and Draco. The older blond nodded, pushing off the wall and grabbing his things.

"Whenever Bakura's ready." Malik said.

All eyes on him, Bakura closed his eyes and took several deep, calming breaths before opening them and turning to look at his friends. "Let's go. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can kill someone."

"Gather around." Shadi said to the group as a whole.

Not five minutes after Marik relayed his and Ryou's need for assistance, the tower and Hogwarts, was empty of all Shadow Wielders.

**TSW**

Ryou spun on his heel, grabbing the arm of his assailant and throwing him bodily back into the incredibly abused desk and came nose to barrel with Yazoo's favorite weapon.

"Ryou!" Yuffie yelled.

The hikari really wished she'd shut up, she was growing rather distracting the more she yelled his name.

Chocolate eyes iced over and Ryou smirked. "I really don't think you want to do that, dude." He warned.

Yazoo smirked, and his finger tightened on the trigger. "I really think I do." The insane man answered.

Ryou was moving before the bullet left the chamber, spinning to the side and bringing the back of his fist to smash into the long haired silverette's nose to the best of his ability with the given angle.

Unfortunately, despite being certifiably insane, Yazoo wasn't an idiot. The gun followed the Wielder's movement, and caught him just below the collarbone, making the smaller white haired man stumble slightly, gasping for breath as he forced his heart to continue beating despite the force put behind the blow to it.

Loz was there before he managed to recover his breath, retribution for Ryou's tossing him across the room, punching the Wielder twice in the stomach before roundhouse kicking the smaller man into what was once a very nice set of shelves with Pegasus' trophies on them.

Shakily, and now most definitely bleeding internally, Ryou stood again. He licked at his split lip and winced. He really should know better than that by now.

"I like you, little one." Kadaj said cheerfully, tapping the blade of his katana on his shoulder as he watched Ryou. "Perhaps Uncle will let me keep you."

Yuffie, who's skills obviously laid in stealth and the quiet kill, was struggling to keep Yazoo and Loz occupied long enough for Ryou to get a fourth wind.

Or was it the fifth?

Ryou was _really_ wishing he had more abilities tied to the Shadow Realm.

A small black ball smashing one of the few unbroken windows still in the room, distracted them all well enough, especially Loz, as the short haired silverette stepped back, away from Yuffie and Yazoo, accidentally catching the shadow ball for Kadaj.

The man fell without a sound, eyes vacant.

"Brother!"

Marik slid through the broken window without catching any of the glass, knocking what remained of the remarkably still standing desk to the floor.

Both Wielders were panting, and in no shape whatsoever, to put up a decent fight, and Marik had just used what little energy he had to send Loz's soul to the Shadows.

This, was not good.

Kadaj lunged for Ryou, a wordless snarl on his lips and sword ready to plunge deep into the Wielder's jugular.

And then, the floor turned to liquid Shadows.

**TSW**

Shadi rose from the Shadow Realm first, pulling Draco up by the wrist with him, inside the elevator that still held a shivering, but not-quite conscious Harry Potter.

Yami followed less than a millisecond later, the blade of his own sword of choice, a kopis, coming to bear against Kadaj's katana and the pharaoh almost effortlessly pushed him backwards, into Bakura, who wrapped his arm around the man's throat, a low, purring growl echoing in the power hunter's ear.

The thief's black clawed hand grabbed Kadaj's sword hand and squeezed, forcing the katana from nerveless fingers.

Yugi rose up before Yuffie, his normally pleasant amethyst eyes boring a hole in Yazoo's head, a snap kick to the man's knee brought him to the floor before he could even think to dodge it.

Malik merged with his yami, the glamour falling to nothing and revealing his Millennium Eye to the world. Malik's dagger flashed in the light of the revealed Item as he twirled it expectantly between his fingers.

Surprise, had given them an advantage. For the moment, the fight was over.

The floor returned to its normal, bloodstained carpeted state and Ryou sagged against the wall, closing his eyes, ready to pass out.

Malik was the one that stepped up to Kadaj, who wasn't even struggling in Bakura's chokehold. In fact, if the blond had to take a guess, he would say that the power hunter looked rather pleased, despite having lost both the fight and a brother.

"Where is Pegasus?" He asked.

Kadaj smiled. "The winged one took flight before we got here."

Malik glanced back at Yami.

The pharaoh shook his head. The silverette was lying.

"Where is Pegasus, Kadaj? I have no qualms about breaking a finger or two." Malik asked. "You've hurt several of my friends today."

Kadaj only smiled pleasantly. "The winged one is gone."

Yami tilted his head, his eyes narrowing, he didn't answer when Malik looked back at him in question. "He doesn't tell all he knows." he finally said neutrally.

Malik rolled his eyes and turned back to Kadaj, frowning when his prey squealed sharply. Bakura had gotten impatient and shoved two black claws through Kadaj's shoulder, easily up the second knuckle. "Bakura." he muttered, glaring at the thief.

Yuffie spoke up from behind Yugi, who was calmly dropping Yazoo's ammo on the taller man's head, starting with the gun itself. "We really shouldn't stay here. The receptionists would have called the police. They'll be here soon."

Yami frowned. "Very well." he said finally. "Take them with us."

Bakura hissed under his breath. "I want to kill him, Yami. My temper won't hold much longer."

Marik shifted with his hikari, easily adjusting to not being able to see out of the eye that held the Millennium Eye. That Item, was for Malik's use alone. "Give him here, Thief. I'll hold him. Deal with your hikari."

Yami turned to look at Ryou. **"Are you alright, Ryou?"**

"**I'm tired."** The healer said quietly. **"And I think I've got internal bleeding. At least one cracked rib that I know of. I know I have a cracked sternum."**

Bakura turned to glare at Marik. The other yami raised his hands in defense. **"I pointed out that he would have to fight all three of them while I got help. He told me that he could handle himself until I got there."**

_#Take it easy, yami. It was hindsight. Two hikaris and one yami. We should have waited.#_

_##All of our fault, I suppose….##_ Bakura said gruffly. _##That doesn't mean I have to like it though.##_

_#No. And I don't have to like the fact that you're acting like an ass to friends and family, Bakura. Knock it off.#_

Bakura grit his teeth and released Kadaj into Marik's 'care', leaving their side to go to Ryou's.

Ryou buried himself in his lover's arms, and finally allowed himself to pass out cold.

**TSW**

Draco leaned against the window of the small seafood restaurant owned by a friend of the hyper pixie girl whom he'd forgotten the name of seconds after being introduced to her, instead focusing on his hikari.

Harry was laying along the bench, encased in the Slytherin's arms and muttering barely comprehensible things under his breath.

Shadi leaned back in the booth beside the one the new Wielders occupied, sitting across from him, was the still combined body of Marik and Malik, though Malik was in control of it at the moment, while his yami slept and recovered the energy he lost.

Bakura had long since gone, taking Ryou back to Hogwarts so Yukina could look him over.

Yami sat on one of the stools, with Yugi on the counter beside him, the lighter running his fingers through the darker's hair.

Despite the relaxed air, the two Puzzle bearers were practically interrogating Yuffie about her presence at Industrial Illusions.

Yuffie, for her part, was practically cowering underneath the counter under the combined forces of Yami and Yugi's glare and Cid's obvious displeasure.

"It's…a long story."

"We've obviously got the time, or we wouldn't be here taking the time out of our day in the first place." Yugi pointed out. "Explain, please, your need to interfere on a Wielder's behalf, though I assure you we are far from ungrateful."

"Cid and I, are part of a small group of people who were able to escape the collapsing world of Divantera. We've spent years looking for the Royals that died the night the Great Shadow came and destroyed everything."

"Royals? Plural? I was under the impression that Princess Hunter had no siblings." Yami said.

"She had a brother." Cid answered. "He died in the palace fire with his parents."

"When I was waiting on them today, I saw Harry's eyes and might have jumped to the conclusion that he was our missing prince." Yuffie said, fidgeting.

"On his eyes?" Yami asked skeptically. "That's pushing it, Yuffie, even by our standards."

"Well, it was his aura too." Yuffie said defensively. "He and Ray have the exact same aura. Though Harry's is a little more…damaged."

"Ray would be the prince, I assume." Yugi said quietly, glancing over at Harry and Draco.

Cid nodded, following Yugi's gaze, catching Draco's ice blue eyes with his own. The warning in them was clear. Neither he, nor Yuffie was going to get any closer to the boy today.

"**There is a great deal, we do not know about Hunter and where she came from, my pharaoh. Perhaps this would be a good time to ask?"** Shadi asked, speaking his native tongue as he looked around the room.

"Have you found the princess yet?" Yami asked.

Yuffie shook her head, and looked ready to answer, but a new voice, this one from the back room, interrupted her.

"As far as we were aware, Hunter disappeared from our world with Zorc and his army." the man said, stalking through the doorway with a disapproving look in Yuffie's direction.

"**Leon, I'm sorry."** Yuffie breathed as the man passed her to move around the counter and into the open area.

Malik looked the man over as he came to lean on the table across from them, giving him a clear view of everyone in the room, including his own teammates.

Leon was easily taller than any of the Wielders, all of whom, in appearances, didn't look a day over 19, and would likely never look any different. Shoulder length brown hair and eyes of the same color, the man could have passed as John's older brother. His eyes, however, were ancient. Ancient in the way that Yami's and Marik's and Bakura's were. Eyes on a being that had to grow up far too fast. This man had been born into a war. And the scar across the upper portion of his face only augmented this fact.

But what really drew Malik's attention, was the necklace resting on his chest. Made of, what appeared to be, pure silver, the pendent was in the shape of a lion's head, fangs bared and man flowing as if in the wind, perched on top of what looked like a sword, from the angle the blond was looking at it. The pendent itself couldn't have been more than two or three inches long.

_**-What's up?-**_

_**-I think…I may have seen that somewhere before, but where it was…escapes me.-**_

_**::It's part of a set of four pendants. They are used to increase spiritual and magical awareness. Most pureblood families would kill to get their hands on the set, if only to prevent muggleborns and squibs from getting their hands on it.::**_

_**-Even from inside Malik's head, I can tell that thing is practically shrouded in protective magic. From simple spells I've seen the students at Hogwarts casting, to all out blood wards.-**_ The blond yami added, though he sounded rather distracted. _**-Hey…Hikari, Leon's aura. Does it feel as familiar to you as it does to me?-**_

Yugi closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and exhaling the breath gently before he opened his eyes again to the sights and feelings of the spiritual plane.

The very air around them, was a bright, glowing cross of nearly every color in existence. Malik and Marik were a shifting, dark grayish color, signifying their combined emotions and physical being, though if the hikari chose to look hard enough, he could probably pick out the minute colors that belonged with each one.

Shadi was a dim blue-green, fading in and out of existence, one day, Yugi reminded himself, he was going to have to ask the older man about that. Several different colors in the air, were twining themselves around the man, some, a light blueish-green color, were trying to heal the man, while others, a dark reddish color, appeared to be trying to banish him from the spiritual plane and back onto the physical one.

Draco was a light bluish color, overshadowed with a thin layer of yellow, his anxiety over his inability to help his friend was clear. The slightly dark hint to the edges of his spirit, made Yugi smile. He was coming to accept his desire to protect and care for a rival he'd had for almost four years. He was also accepting his role in the Wielders, accepting the inherent magic in him.

Harry was a rolling wheel of color and looking at him for too long continuously made Yugi's head spin. He was changing, that much was certain, and he had more colors in him than anyone else Yugi knew, and he knew a lot of people. The most prominent one, as with most of the hikaris, was the neutral, innocent blue, color of the sky. However, there was a dark shadow over the majority of his being, small dashes of red and areas of his aura that were black, bruised. The boy had been abused, but Yugi had known that before he'd even gotten to know the teenager.

Turning his gaze to the man that he was trying to 'feel out', Yugi eyed Leon's aura with the eye of a master. Reading the spirit of a person, was different, for those who knew what they were seeing, than reading their aura. They were looking deeper into a person, into the parts of them that they couldn't hide. The Wielders never bothered to hide their aura, they were confident in what and who they were, that there was nothing that an outsider could find and use against them.

Aura searching came second nature to most hikaris, and their judgment was unusually sound, when it came to outsiders, but Yugi's abilities ran deeper. He was able to search out the spirit of another person and read it, examine it, and describe it, in most cases. It was why the others trusted his judgment so much. He was that good at reading spirits.

Leon's being was a base of many blues. He was the stable one, the one that every one around him respected and cared for, possibly because he didn't see himself as anything special. He was dashed with purple, however Yugi was almost positive that, given his personality, he didn't see himself as royalty as Yami and Bakura did. This man was wise, and he knew it. Leon only hoped that he could use all he learned to teach those who followed him. But…there was a feeling, not so much a color, of familiarity. Something he had felt before, but he couldn't place it….

Shaking his head, Yugi pulled away from the spirits and back to the real world, not at all surprised at the strange looks Leon, Yuffie, and Cid were giving him. He smiled disarmingly, something Bakura said he was disturbingly good at, and turned to glance at Malik, who raised a brow in question.

_**/He feels familiar…. I just…for the life of me, can't place where./**_

_**::The Defense Against the Dark Arts class.::**_ Draco muttered distractedly. _**::When Thief got blamed for the candle setting fire to the Toad.::**_

Recognition lit the Wielders' eyes and they all turned to look at Draco, who now looked more asleep than aware.

_**/That's right. He feels…like our Queen and the shadow from the hallway./**_

**TE**

Flames were spreading quickly, from the top floors of the Industrial Illusions building down.

A crowd of worried and curious spectators crowded around the building, some screaming and others trying desperately to fight the heat and pull unconscious employees and the like from the building and into the cleaner air.

Sirens blared up and down the streets and the fire department arrived, though there would be little they would be able to do.

The black cloaked figure in the top floor office was unaffected by the flames. They had started the fire, after all.

They would clean up the mess that the Wielders had made, in an attempt to deal with the figure's problem.

The figure walked through the flames, unaffected by heat and the fire itself seemed to bend away from them, the heel of the cloak appeared to dance in the heat and wind that fueled the fire.

The figure paused at the shattered remains of a once beautiful desk. The figure knelt beside it, a gloved hand extending out beyond the protection granted by the full figured black cloak and made small, barely there gestures. The smoke swirled as the air moved at the being's direction and the wood scattered, revealing the blade a beautiful sword. The blade appeared to be made of smooth crystal, and was sucking the flames, heat, and smoke from the very air itself into the folded, transparent blade.

Another vague gesture, this time a little more forceful, and a rather large piece of the oak desk shoved itself closer to the door, blocking any attempts to get into the room and search for survivors.

As there was no one here, it didn't matter to the figure. They were too focused on the revealed hilt.

Carved of the brightest of ruby, a bird, clearly a phoenix, with its wings closed around the grip, as if diving for the ground, with its beak gripping the blade between the gapping upper and lower halves. Two glowing feathers were dangling from a blackened string-like material, which was clenched between the talons of the ruby bird.

Beneath their hood, the figure smiled.

This was the figure's payback.

**TSW**

The Wielders and their potential allies had fallen nearly silent, the two sides conversing quietly among themselves.

Yugi and Yami had moved to sit opposite Harry and Draco, watching the two of them carefully.

_**::Isn't there anything you can do to help him, Pharaoh? What happened to the Master of Minds shit?::**_ Draco asked, almost desperately.

_**/After my last foray into your hikari's mind, Dragon, I am not quite keen on going in there without help. Contrary to whatever belief you've got, getting ricocheted back into ones own mind against their will, hurts like a bitch./**_ Yami drawled.

_**/Dragon, we'd really like to help, but Guardian is out of commission and Thief is in Europe again./**_

_**::Why can't you help him? You're his hikari, aren't you?::**_

_**/My abilities aren't…mental. I can guard my own mind as well as he can, but his knowledge is his own. I really am sorry./**_

_**/Stop being a pain in the ass. He isn't hurt, and he appears to be sleeping peacefully. So long as he has no nightmares and he wakes up within the hour, there is no real reason for me to go trampling through his mind./**_ Yami said with a note of finality.

_**::But he's getting warmer, Pharaoh. And I don't mean like a fever type warm. I'm talking he's been dunked in water being brought to a boil warm.::**_

Malik and Shadi both looked over at Draco, frowning.

As if sensing their gaze, Harry Potter abruptly went up in flames.

**TBWL**

_**(Phoenix.)**_

Harry groaned quietly, trying to avoid being woken.

_**:Wha? Go 'way. T'red.:**_

Someone chuckled. _**(Phoenix, wake up.)**_

Slowly, and with a deep groan of annoyance, the Gryffindor slowly forced his eyes open.

He appeared to be in a vaguely familiar, very on fire, office.

The fire was raging around them, but there was no sound. No roar of the flames, or crackle as something else went up in flames and it spread. No creaking as the supports gave and the ceiling caved in to his right.

Sitting up sharply, Harry came face to shadow with the darkness beneath the hood of someone he was sure he'd never met before. If he forced his eyes, he thought he could make out bits of bright, sapphire blue.

"Who are you?" He attempted to ask, though no actual sound came from his lips.

The figure chuckled and stood, totally unaffected by the devastation going on around the two of them. _**(So. You're Light's new friend, huh. Her new…teammate?)**_

Harry frowned. By the voice alone, he knew she was female, maybe no older than Jess was, but the cloak left everything to the imagination and he could tell nothing else. Slowly, so as not to draw potentially fatal attention to himself, he slid himself away from the girl.

_**(You're wary of me.)**_ The girl pointed out. She sounded amused, and perhaps a bit proud. _**(Smart boy. At least she's not allying herself with idiots.)**_ Harry wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not. _**(My name is Dark, Phoenix. Lady Dark. Rival, you could say, of your own leader. Don't worry about the mess.)**_ She said, gesturing around her to the fire. _**(There's no one here to get hurt. I've left them plenty of time to get out of here alive.)**_

_**:And…what if they don't get out of here alive?: **_Harry asked warily.

_**(Then I will obviously mourn their loss and not make a mistake like assuming humans knew when the hell to run for their lives.)**_ Dark smirked. The hood moved to Harry's left and he got the impression that she was looking at something else in the room.

_**(You forgot something, the last time you were here, Phoenix. Though I'm actually surprised that it wasn't found sooner, considering the damage that was done to its hiding place when the Wielders rose up to protect you.)**_

Harry followed the figure's pointed finger to the only part of the room that wasn't being burnt to the ground. A beautifully crafted sword lay on the carpeted floor, surrounded by burning wood and ash of likely already burnt wood.

A familiar song echoed in his head loudly, making him close his eyes and cover his ears, as if to block it out, but the phoenix's song just grew louder. He could feel its annoyance with him in trying to ignore it.

_**:Is that…the sword?:**_

_**(Yes.)**_ Dark answered. _**(The Sword of the Forgotten Phoenix. My people have looked for it for years and never found it. But…in less than a year, Priest and his hikari managed to pull it out from the dirt. How it ended up in the hands of Maximillion Pegasus, I have no idea.)**_ She shrugged, obviously brushing the thought off. _**(It calls to you, doesn't it, Phoenix. Its no use to ignore such things. They come to bother you at the most inopportune times….)**_

Dark sounded like she was reminiscing, but Harry was ignoring her in favor of staring at the sword on the ground. _**:Why won't it burn?:**_ He asked.

Dark snorted. _**(Because it's the Sword of the Forgotten **_**Phoenix**_**, kid. There isn't fire hot enough to kill a firebird of that magnificence.)**_ She answered half mockingly, as if he'd asked a stupid question.

Harry should have felt insulted, but instead he crawled towards the sword itself, only half aware of Dark following him. _**:How did I get here?:**_

_**(Easy. I pulled you here.)**_ Dark answered. _**(How else was I going to get your gift to you? Besides, the perverted old man is bugging the shit out of me about this fucking sword. If handing it over to you as he was supposed to, is what it'll take to shut his ass up, so be it.)**_

Harry's brow furrowed. _**:This is…Pegasus' office?:**_

He could almost swear that Dark was giving him a disbelieving look. _**(You better be smarter than this when you're not surprised and exhausted, Phoenix, or I'll take back what I said about you being smart.)**_ She waved a hand dismissively when he glared at her, revealing a very fit body dressed entirely in black. _**(Now, are you going to take the damn thing or not?)**_

Slowly, hesitantly, Harry reached out to grip the handle of the sword. He yelled out in surprise when the sword glowed bright enough to burn his eyes for several moments even after the glow faded.

When he was able to see again, Harry noticed that the design around the hilt had changed. The wings, once pressed against the body of the phoenix, were now spread in flight and formed the guard. Each, individual wing feather stood out in Harry's eyes and he traced them with his fingers.

_**:Mine.:**_ He whispered to himself.

Dark smirked behind him. _**(You bet. Tell you what. A parting gift from me to you: I'll teach you how to hide it.)**_

Harry looked up at her sharply. _**:What?:**_

Dark chuckled. _**(Easy, kid. It's simple. Even the Wielders use it. They're called pocket realms. Its as simple as envisioning something in your head and imagining it in a small pocket realm that floats around your being. To pull it back out again, you envision it in your hand again.)**_

The girl demonstrated, extending one of her arms out beyond the cloak. Her hand was encased in a dark energy, that quickly expanded to form a long handled weapon, that curved at the top above her head several feet. Once the glow dissipated, Harry saw that the weapon was a scythe, like in the muggle pictures of the Grim Reaper.

The handle was completely black, but was covered in what appeared to be dark veins that pulsed even as he watched them. The veins stopped where her hand held the weapon and then picked up again once beyond her grip to continue up until they reached the blade. The blade was clean and he knew it would be sharp even though he hadn't touched it, but it surprised him that there were thin, silver streaks running, apparently within the blade itself, like computer circuitry.

As easily as it had been brought to existence, Dark banished it again, making the scythe disappear in a flash of dark lightning.

_**(Your turn, kid. And I'd hurry before the Pharaoh decides to be nosy.)**_

Harry concentrated, closing his eyes and picturing a black hole in the world around him, and stuck the hand that contained the sword into it, before pulling his hand free and closing the hole again. When he opened his eyes, Dark, the Sword, and the destroyed office, were all gone.

In its place, was the dungeons of Hogwarts. In the very hospital that he had secretly sworn to himself that he was never going to enter with an injury.

**TBWL**

As if summoned the moment Harry opened his eyes, Ryou was in the room with him, checking his heartbeat, his lungs, his eyes. If there was a way to check it, Ryou did it.

Draco leaned against the doorway, watching him.

"How do you feel, Harry?" Ryou asked.

"Really, really confused…." Harry whispered hoarsely. Surprised, he grabbed at his throat, blinking dry eyes. "What's wrong with me?"

"You're suffering from smoke inhilation, Harry." Ryou said tiredly. "You…this is strange, even for us…."

"You caught fire, Potter." Draco said bluntly. "And no one knows how you did it."

Harry closed his eyes, frowning, trying to remember.

"Open your eyes, Harry, we're not through yet." Ryou said sharply.

Harry's eyes snapped open, surprised at the tone of voice. Ryou'd never snapped at him.

"Ryou, maybe you should lie down for a bit." Malik said, squeezing around Draco to pull Ryou away from Harry. "He'll still be here when you wake up and then we can catch up on what he's missed."

_:Missed? What's going on?:_

_::Yami, Marik, and Bakura left to look for Pegasus a little over a week ago. They haven't contacted us yet.::_

_:A week?:_

Draco shifted uneasily. _::Today's…December Third, Harry. You've been unconscious for eleven days….::_

Harry looked horrified. _:No….:_

_::Harry? Potter, snap out of it!::_

Fingers snapped beneath Harry's nose and he started, looking up at Malik's solemn face. "You better get dressed, Harry. I know I told Ryou that you'd stay in bed, but we've got a lot to make up for. Grab a quick shower and meet me on the tower."

Harry scampered out of bed towards the small shower area adjacent to the room under Draco's watchful eyes.

Five minutes later, Harry leaned against the shower wall, letting the hot water run over his skin.

_Was it all a dream?_

(…Its as simple as envisioning something in your head and imagining it in a small pocket realm that floats around your being. To pull it back out again, you envision pulling it back into your hand again.)

Harry envisioned the black hole he dreamed putting the Sword of the Phoenix into, and extended his hand, imagining holding the warm hilt in his hand again, the bottom of the wings brushing against his fingers.

He watched as, in the real world, a small sphere of reddish orange light appeared in his extended hand and expanded, like he had seen Dark's scythe do. When the light cleared, the Sword of the Forgotten Phoenix was clenched in his hand.

Startled, Harry dropped it and it clattered on the wet floor, a sharp hiss of steam rising as the sword hit the water on the floor.

_::Harry, you alright?::_

_:Y…yeah. Still a little…confused, I guess.:_ Harry answered distantly.

Crouching, the brunette reached out for the sword, tentatively, since he had just watched water evaporate underneath it, and he was in no hurry to burn himself. To his surprise, the hilt wasn't hot, rather, it was as warm as it had been the first time he'd touched it.

Like holding a mug of hot chocolate in your hand and the heat of the liquid seeping through the porcelain.

Harry gasped quietly when someone banged on the door.

"Come on Harry. We don't have a lot of time, remember!" Malik called through the door.

"Coming. Be out in a sec!" Harry called back.

The Gryffindor took several deep breaths before he attempted to hide the Sword once more.

Flames engulfed the blade in his hand and the heavy weight in his hand was gone.

"It wasn't a dream…." He breathed.

**TSW**

Once Malik was sure that Harry was actually out of the shower, the blond hikari left the hospital room and shadow teleported to Ravenclaw tower.

Since Harry had been brought back from San Francisco unconscious and the older yamis had left Hogwarts to find Pegasus, it would be an understatement to say that the three older hikaris were worried and stressed.

They were twenty-two days away from Voldemort and Zorc's attack on Hogwarts, and neither of the two new Wielders were ready for battle just yet. Hell, the Hogwarts _Alliance_ was more battle ready that Harry and Draco.

Walking past groups of Ravenclaws practicing spell work, Malik let a small, wry smile escape his morbid mood.

"Alright, Ravenclaws! Breakfast in ten." the prefect called over the common room. With everyone spending extra time in their common room to practice what they were learning during the Alliance meetings, the prefects were invaluable in keeping time and making sure that they never got too carried away and missed a meal. Something that would definitely stand out with Umbridge.

"Harry won't be there." Malik called over from his seat on the stairs, where he made it appear like he'd never left the common room. "Draco and I promised that we'd bring him up to speed on what he missed in the meetings."

The prefect nodded, and Malik was sure that the news would spread soon, that Harry was feeling better. "So he's alright then?"

"He will be." Malik promised.

"How's Ryou?" another student called out, blushing when everyone turned to look at her. "I mean…he's been looking kind of ragged, you know?"

"He's resting. Yugi and I've been harping on him about not getting enough sleep."

The Ravenclaws all nodded and the House meeting moved on. Malik looked across the room and out the window, where he could imagine the gates of Hogwarts being.

_Where are you guys?_

**TBWL**

By lunch, Harry was sweaty, tired, and beaten.

He had resolved not to tell the others about Dark or the Sword of the Forsaken Phoenix just yet, as he wasn't quite sure if he could trust her or not.

Instead, he had pushed that, and most other thoughts aside, in order to push his body to the limits and beyond them.

The only thought he allowed to surface, was _'eleven days'_. A reminder of how long he had skimped on practice, and how much he had to make up.

Malik himself had become apathetic half way through, seeing that Harry wasn't going to stop, and they really didn't have the time to baby him at the moment anyways.

Draco himself skipped breakfast, and snuck down to the Chamber of Secrets to help a still mostly exhausted Ryou and Yukina move Snape and the elder Malfoy around.

Yugi released Alastor Moody while he was sleeping. He was unaware of how far he traveled, nor was he aware of just how close to the student body and Dumbledore, he had been the entire time.

As the sun crested in the sky, Harry finally collapsed and was unable to get back up.

Malik stood a few feet away. "You alright?" he asked.

"Hungry."

"Kitchens or the Great Hall?"

"Neither. I want to keep going."

Harry struggled to push himself to his feet, but only managed to keep himself sitting up.

Before another word could be said, Shadows swelled around the two Wielders.

The portals dissipated, leaving three very exhausted yamis and an older man with long, white hair that fell over the left half of his face, hiding it from view.

Another two portals heralded the arrival of Yugi and Ryou, who promptly glomped their respective lovers.

Ryou surprised Harry by turning to glare darkly at the stranger. "What the hell took so long?" he snapped.

"Apparently Pegasus trusts very few these days." Bakura snarled tiredly. "We spent a week tracking his ass down, and then it took another two days before we were even in range to attempt teleporting back here."

"I do apologize, Ryou." Pegasus said. "However, Sephiroth and his nephews are more of an enemy that I can afford to make right now."

"Coward." Malik sneered.

"From what I understand, your building went to the shithouse anyways." Marik muttered darkly.

"Maximillion Pegasus." Shadi interjected, appearing, as he was wont to do, from apparently thin air. "Why have you run from those who command and protect you?"

The gathered Wielders stepped aside so Shadi could have an uninterrupted view of the former Item holder.

Pegasus bowed his head, wincing, likely from the tight grip Yami had on his arm. Harry could see a bruise forming from where he sat.

"I do not run, Shadi. I merely wish to stay alive."

Malik hissed something in what Harry was coming to understand was Egyptian, and Marik wrapped an arm tightly around his lover, whispering something in return.

_**-For a fucking week, this asshole has kept you from us, Guardian. I don't know if **_**you've**_** noticed, but we're a little pressed for time. We don't have time to hunt his pathetic ass down when he decides to play self-preservationist!-**_

_**/Keeper-/**_

_**-Shut up, Pharaoh. Maybe you're not getting this, being gone for a week and all. Dragon and Phoenix **_**are not****ready**_**. The Alliance is more ready for this than they are.-**_

_**:I am right here, you know.:**_ Harry felt the need to point out, and all eyes turned to him. _**:Can we please stop arguing with one another and make some use of what little time we have left?:**_

Ryou and Yugi smirked slightly, making a half hearted attempt to hide them, but giving up in the end. "We can still shove his undesirable ass in that room we held Cobra in. It should still be warded, and Shadi can stay with him."

Pegasus tensed and then winced, Harry was under the impression that ally or not, Pegasus was not a favorite person right now.

"Yugi?" Yami asked, glancing at his hikari.

"They're right. Both of them. Bring him to Cobra's old room and then meet back here. They've gone over a week without learning anything and now we've got even less time, twenty-two days, to teach them even the basics and the battle uses of Shadow Magic."

Draco, who had been forced to walk up the stairs, pushed off the doorframe and stalked onto the tower. "Let's get started then."

**TSW**

_#Where was he?#_

_##One of his seventy-four fucking islands.##_ Bakura answered bitterly.

Yami, Bakura, and Marik were trading off, two training and one asleep, so as to both rest and get the most training out of the time left.

_#How'd you find him?#_

_##It was Yami's idea. Even running, the stupid ass has to live in luxury. None of us may be as good as Kaiba was, but we can all hack, some better than others. For me, it was child's play to look up his aliases, considering since Jess found out about his slight on Yugi, Yami, and the Kaiba brothers, and the Items commanded Shadi to keep a closer eye on him, he can't use any of his money without the banks and the like alerting Jess to it.##_

_#Have you seen her?#_ Ryou asked, excitedly.

_##No. But Mercury showed up at one of our safe houses and left a note literally as we were walking out the door to continue on.##_ Ryou could feel his lover wrapping a mental arm around him from the tower. _##I'm sorry we worried you. And I'm sorry we didn't contact you.##_

Ryou snuggled into his yami's presence. _#You're safe. I suppose that's all that matters.#_

_##You're relatively easy to please, Ry-chan.##_ Bakura teased.

Ryou gave his yami the mental equivalent of sticking his tongue out at his lover. _#Meanie.#_

**TBWL**

Harry sucked at keeping secrets from the three older yamis.

They were annoyingly observant and it hadn't taken Yami or Bakura long to work out that he was hiding something important from them.

It had taken even less time, for them to work out that he had found the Sword of the Phoenix.

The Gryffindor was surprised however, to find out who Dark really was.

"You really should tell us these things, Harry." Bakura snickered.

Harry glowered up at the yami. "Shut up."

Marik snorted, smirking. "Nice come back, Phoenix."

Harry's scowl deepened. "Jerks." he muttered.

"That's not nice." Bakura pouted. "Maybe we shouldn't tell you than."

"Well, if you'd stop teasing and actually get around to giving out information, maybe I'd start listening to you." Harry countered.

Yami shook his head, smirking. "Harry, Lady Dark is not an enemy." he said. "If anything, she's one of our most loyal allies."

Harry just stared at him, waiting.

"Dark is the leader of the Elementals, dude." Marik smirked. "Jess' 'eternal rival', as someone once put it."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Seriously? Why didn't she just tell me that?"

Bakura shrugged. "Couldn't tell you. It's possible that she just felt like messing with you a little. She's fairly easy going, once you get her off the topic of possible destruction."

"Then she's like a dog with a bone." Marik added. "Of course, most people don't want to be the 'bone', when she gets pissed enough."

Harry lay back on the stone.

Yami crouched by his head. "Show me this sword, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "It's heavy."

Yami raised a brow. "You'll have to get used to it, kid. The Sword is yours now, and you'll need to learn how to use it. Show it to me, and I'll show you what mine looks like."

Bakura and Marik promptly burst into hysterics, rolling on the ground.

Yami closed his eyes, and Harry got the impression that the pharaoh was praying for patience. Or guidance.

"If you two could get your heads out of whatever gutter they've taken refuge in, I'd really like to move this along." Yami drawled, throwing a loose stone at his friends.

Harry shook his head. "You gotta admit, Yami. It did sound kinda hokey."

Marik and Bakura started anew, and even Yami's lips tilted.

"Did you just say 'hokey', Potter?" Draco asked.

Harry smirked up at him and sat up, calling up the black hole he'd stashed the Sword of the Phoenix in. Yami drew back, watching with interest as the sword took shape in the young hikari's hand.

Bakura and Marik sat up to watch as well.

"It's nicely crafted." Bakura noted.

"We'll have to throw in a few more routines for his arms. That thing does look like it could get a bit heavy." Marik added.

"You said you had a sword, Yami." Harry prompted, putting the tip on the ground by his feet and leaning his forehead against the end of the hilt.

Yami rolled his eyes and stood up. With a swift, sharp twist of his wrist, one that likely would have broken the wrist of a human, liquid shadows began to ooze down his arm from apparently the middle of no where, evaporating at his fingertips and taking on a more smoke-like quality. The shadow smoke swirled in the air, before suddenly dropping down and solidifying in the shape of a long, sharp blade about the width of the pharaoh's hand.

What appeared to be reddish, liquid shadows began to fall from the yami's palm and dripped down onto the blade, spreading outwards into a semi-swirl guard, the left side curling down towards the hilt, while the right curled upwards, creating a vague looking 'S', before continuing back up to form the grip.

The liquid solidified into a semi-transparent red-black hilt.

The solidified shadows of the blade, exploded outwards into small wisps, revealing the dark crystal-like blade of the Sword of the Shadow Realm.

**TSW**

After much 'oohing' and 'ahhing' over the two swords, Yami ordered Harry to stand up so he could see what Harry could do.

He had to admit, the Gryffindor did pretty good, for a kid who had, according to Harry, only actually wielded a sword once in the past.

His arms were a little shaky, though that was likely something that came from suddenly holding the weight of a sword, not because he was scared or nervous, and he needed to work a great deal on his foot work, but Yami admitted, by the time he let Harry finally take a break, that Harry was a quick student.

"Your reactions are slow, but that could be because of your inexperience, the amount of energy you've expanded by training your Shadow abilities today, or the smoke you've inhaled." Yami commented, banishing the Shadow Sword back to the Shadow Realm, and gesturing for Harry to do the same with the Phoenix Sword.

The younger Wielder shook out his tingling arms. "I thought by now the smoke would have long since been out of my system."

"Yeah, but going to take your lungs a bit to recover from the exposure. You're already much better off than you could be, trust me." Blaise called from the doorway, where he had sat and begun to stretch, for lack of anything else to do.

_/Yami, why don't you spare with him? Blaise is likely to get bored and Harry needs a breather. I can take Harry when he's ready to practice again./_ Yugi said. _/Besides, you're definitely the better of us when it comes to defending against the elements./_

Yami split from his hikari without a word and approached Blaise, gesturing for the boy to stand up.

Blaise caught on quickly, and was on his feet with a grin.

The Elemental and the Wielder stared at one another for several moments, before Blaise got impatient and threw himself at Yami.

The Wielder blocked easily, but slightly surprised at the current of electricity that met his limb, jumping from Blaise to himself. Yami grit his teeth against the shock, and shoved Shadows through his veins to prevent the lightning from traveling through his body towards anything vital.

"Very nice." he complimented.

Blaise was equally surprised at how quickly Yami had countered his attack. "That wasn't bad either. How the hell did you pull that off?"

Yami smirked. "Trade secret." he answered.

Blaise quickly got over it and the two threw themselves heartily into their spar. It wasn't until the two were sitting on the battlements watching Yugi coach Harry threw another simple move with the Phoenix Sword, that Yami finally asked him what was bothering him.

"**What's bothering you, Blaise?"** he asked in fluent Italian.

Blaise was playing with a small funnel of fire and wind in between his palms, and didn't look at the older man, and it was several seconds before he answered Yami's question, but the pharaoh was patient. **"I know you've likely already thought of this, and you've all likely spoken about this at some point, but…something about the way that they **_**knew**_** Harry, Ryou, and Malik weren't going to be here at Hogwarts with the rest of us. That they knew they were going to be in San Francisco on **_**that**_** day. It just…doesn't smell right."**

Yami was quiet for a moment, organizing his thoughts. **"You're right. We did think about this already. And we're almost positive that there is someone at Hogwarts, watching us and knows what and who we are. What we don't understand, however, is why the person here, would report anything to an enemy of the Elementals. They've rarely ever been a concern to us."**

"**We try to leave one another's battles alone, right?"**

"**Yes."** Yami agreed. **"Because its easier that way. An…unspoken agreement that we will not intrude on your fights or break your rules, if you will do the same for us."**

"**But you don't seem to care that I'm helping you now."** Blaise pointed out. **"And this was quite clearly a Wielder matter, demons aside."**

Yami crossed his arms, tapping the fingers of his left hand on his right arm. **"True. I believe it to be because we have so little choice…. It's a feeling we have, that this is going to be bigger than anything else we've ever encountered, Elemental or Wielder."**

"**So you take my help because you have little other choice?"**

"**We take your help because the Elementals are allies, shaky as they are, and because you're good."** Yami countered. **"Not just because you happen to be the only one here with more power than one can channel through a stick."**

Blaise chuckled quietly before Bakura wandered over, a sulking, very bruised Draco following behind him. "Dinner's in fifteen minutes. I would suggest we all clean up and get some food into Potter before his godfather goes canine on us."

Yami stood and mentally called out to his hikari. _/Time to eat, love. Better get Harry and Draco into a shower first, though. They're…rather ripe./_

Yugi snickered quietly, but obediently began to lead Harry towards Gryffindor tower, so the 'savior' could finally make a public appearance.

Draco followed them out silently, with Ryou, now in control of his shared body, following quickly after him. Yami looked up at the ever circling dragon and resisted the urge to flip the damn thing off.

"No luck?" Blaise asked.

"Not as of yet." Yami answered. "And it's the most annoying thing in the world, not knowing what it is, nor why its bugging me so much."

Blaise laughed. "Well, _I'm_ going to shower. Then I'm going to eat. And then I'm going to bed. Fuck homework."

Yami glanced at the Elemental. "I'm not sure if that's wise _or_ possible."

Blaise flipped him off. "And you say _Bakura's_ mind is in the gutter."

Yami only shrugged enigmatically.

_**-Dude there's something going on in the kitchen.-**_ Marik broadcasted excitedly. _**-The hag is getting her ass handed to her by the House Elves!-**_

Blaise stopped, halfway out the door. _**;This, I **_**have **_**to see. Show me, show me, show me!;**_

_**/Hold your horses, Cougar. Its coming./**_ Yami said, snickering.

**TSW**

Umbridge stood in front of the entire house elf staff of Hogwarts, which wasn't all the difficult, since the majority of them swarmed you when you walked through the door, willing to please.

"I want the tables returned to the standard form. This is a private school, not a café."

It was Dobby, that stood defiantly in front of the hundreds of little workers. "This is not for Professor Umbridge to decide. Only Headmaster Dumbledore can change the decoration of the Great Hall."

Umbridge didn't look in the least bit happy with this answer.

Apparently the house elves weren't as accommodating as they led one to believe.

"Decree number-"

"Those things do not apply to us house elves." Dobby interrupted.

The ministry witch's temper frayed. "You _will_ change them back. I am commanding you to."

"We does not work for you. We works for Professor Dumbledore."

As one, the house elves raised their magic against the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

The sharp crack of echoing power, sent the witch through the portrait and out into the hall, where she landed against the wall with a crash.

The portrait slammed itself shut and refused to budge.

The vision went black, as Marik grew bored now that there was no more fighting.

_**;I'm going to give them all hugs. And cookbooks, one can never go wrong with food.;**_ Blaise said. _**;Can't go wrong with a nice pair of socks, either but they'd probably see it as an insult.;**_

**TBWL**

When Harry was called into the Room of Shadows later that night, he was expecting to talk to Pegasus, since Ryou had already said that the man wanted to talk with him privately.

He _wasn't_ expecting to be with a man he'd never met before with another man that he barely knew as his only protection. Dark had called this man a pervert, and he was in absolutely no hurry to meet him without a rather large pole or a thick wall between them.

"I don't know if I want to do this…." Harry said slowly.

"It'll be fine, Harry." Malik reassured him. "Shadi pretty much works for Yami, and Yami has already practically ordered him to keep you safe from whatever Pegasus might try. Pegasus has refused to talk to anyone but you, Harry."

"And that's not odd? For a grown man to want to be alone with a fifteen year old boy?"

Malik blinked, startled at the conclusion that Harry had jumped to. "Well, yeah, it's odd, but not in the way you're thinking. Pegasus is a flamboyant bisexual male, if his attraction to most things with legs is to go by, but he's not into children, I promise." Harry snorted. "As I was saying, Harry, you're not going alone. We refused that part of his request, but Shadi is the only other one that he's agreed to talk around. It's rather usual, actually." the blond lowered his voice. "There's a bet going around that the two have some sordid love affair going on."

Shadi, who was leaning against the wall, threw Malik a glare, and it was clear that the blond hadn't been as quiet about this 'secret knowledge', as he thought himself to be.

"Besides," Malik continued. "Yami's already coached you into opening your doors, and Draco will practically be in the room with you."

Harry started at a random stone. "I still don't want to do this."

Malik groaned, slumping against the wall. "And why the hell not?"

"Because I'm tired, my entire body feels like a wet noodle, and the man in that room is a fucking pervert."

Malik eyed the brunette. "That last part sounded like something that would come out of _Dark's_ mouth. You sure that trip to Pegasus' office was the only time you spoke with her?"

"Positive. Unless I'm having dreams that I don't know about again."

"**Unlikely."** Malik muttered under his breath in Arabic. "Just get in there." he said, shoving Harry in the direction of the door and Shadi.

"Jerk." Harry muttered mutinously.

_::Think of it this way. The sooner you get this over with, the sooner we can all go to bed.::_

_:The bed part has merit.:_ Harry said sullenly. _:Its where I should be right now. Ryou said so.:_

_::Don't be pathetic about it, Harry, just get in there, talk to the old man, and let us all go to bed.::_

_:Prat. _You _don't have to deal with a potential child molester face to face_.:(i)

_::I think you're taking that molestation thing far too seriously.::_ Draco pointed out.

_:Better to be safe than sorry.:_ Harry muttered insolently, following Shadi into the Room of Shadow will all the enthusiasm of a man on death row.

**TBWL**

"Harry Potter!"

Harry shrank back, away from Pegasus, unfortunately, Shadi was closing the door behind him, and conveniently blocking the Gryffindor's only exit.

The Egyptian man said something in Arabic, and the white haired man stepped back, giving Harry his space.

"Well," Pegasus said, suddenly a lot less creepy and more normal. "I assume that you've found the sword that was in my desk."

Pegasus turned and walked back to one of the armchairs and picked up a glass of a red liquid Harry assumed to be wine.

The brunette looked back at the turbaned Wielder. Shadi nodded and Harry turned to follow Pegasus further into the room.

"Yes, sir." Harry said slowly.

Pegasus chuckled. "No 'sirs', Harry. By all accounts, I work for you, not the other way around."

Harry sat slowly, glancing back at Shadi, who hadn't moved away from the door and was, by Harry's account, much too far away should something happen.

"I'm sure by now, you've become aware that the Sword was meant to be yours. It responded to you."

"I was told that." Harry answered. "But I still don't understand how."

"There are some things in the world, Harry, that only…like, certain people. The Sword of the Forsaken Phoenix is one of them. Now that it has chosen you, it will reject anyone you command or anyone that it deems unworthy. The tomb in which I found it, also described another sword. A more powerful sword, though it was linked to the discovery of the Forsaken Pheonix Sword."

"The Dragon Sword." Harry guessed.

"Yes." Pegasus confirmed. "But your dark half will need to find that one on his own, as it wasn't with the Phoenix Sword when I found it."

"If this thing rejects anyone that it deems unworthy, how did you get ahold of it in the first place?" Harry asked.

Pegasus looked insulted. "I _am_ worthy, Harry Potter. But I am also only the deliverer. That blade, was not meant to be mine."

"….Does Draco know about the sword?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Shadi answered evenly, though Harry had also never heard the older man speak in anything less than a perfectly calm, even voice. "Seto Kaiba's messenger spoke of it."

"The one that gave him the dragon deck?"

"The very same, I'm sure. Kaiba didn't leave many messengers lying around." Pegasus answered. "Which then brings me to my next point."

Pegasus pulled out a case, intricately decorated with emerald flames sprinkled liberally with glitter, as the case appeared to glint in the dim lighting.

"This was left in my possession, just before young Mokuba Kaiba was attacked. The poor boy was left blind and without memory. He doesn't even know he had a brother." the CEO handed the box to Harry.

Upon closer inspection, the box was covered in small, pencil tip sized emeralds, that from a distance, were small enough to appear to be glitter. It had to be very expensive.

"This is…mine?" Harry asked, looking up at Shadi.

"Yes." The man answered.

Pegasus shot the man a displeased glance and elaborated. "I believe the elder Kaiba left it with his brother, who was then searching out Yugi and his friends."

Shadi shifted by the door and Harry's curiosity got the better of the good manners Vernon beat into him.

"What happened to Yugi's friends?" he asked. "He never talks about them."

"That is not your story to tell, Pegasus. Nor is it your place to ask, Harry Potter." Shadi said. "It is late, Pegasus. If this is everything, Mr. Potter must return to bed."

Pegasus narrowed his eyes on the turbaned Egyptian, but leaned back, swirling his glass. "That is all."

Harry clenched the box tightly, as Shadi led him out of the Room of Shadows.

**TBWL**

As he was left semi-alone to return to Gryffindor tower, Malik going to the Ravenclaw dorms and Shadi to the dungeon hospital, Harry found himself missing the challenge of Snape's foreboding form talking down the halls, searching for students out of bed.

The only other one out of bed at this hour, would be Filch, but Harry knew the caretaker's path like the back of his scarred hand. Snape, at least, varied his enough that he was a challenge to avoid, and making any student out after curfew, jittery and nervous. Always looking over their shoulder.

Laying in bed later that night, Harry faced the box given to him.

He hadn't opened it yet, but he already knew what would be inside of it.

He had seen them enough times, hanging off the belts of the Wielders.

Regardless of knowing what it contained, Harry was no more eager to open it than to put his hand in a cage of venomous spiders.

The brunette fell asleep staring at the box that held his deck.

Made before he even stepped foot inside of Hogwarts.

**TSW**

Yugi looked down at the sleeping Gryffindor Wielder.

_**/Soon, Phoenix. Real soon, we'll work up the guts to tell you how the Wielders came to be./**_

_/Yugi…you know its not wise to make a promise like that./_

_/It can't hurt like this forever, Yami. It just…can't./_

Yami looked over at his lover.

He knew, he just wasn't sure how to tell Yugi.

It was very much possible for this pain to last forever.

**TBWL**

That night, no one would get a good nights sleep.

Students and teachers of Hogwarts alike, were woken by an inhuman screech that echoed through the very walls themselves.

And no one fell back to sleep, when they finally quieted three hours later.

* * *

i No. Pegasus is not a child molester. Nor is he as much of a pervert as the others are saying he is. However, Harry doesn't know that and he's an impressionable young teenager, who's life has pretty much been turned upside down and inside out..

**Cerberus:** Minor changes have been made to the last three chapters, corrected spelling and the like. Two major changes in Chapter 19 were made: The first flashback of the Chapter takes place when Jess was 5, not six as I previously wrote, and the last flashback took place when she was 9, not ten. Also, I'm preparing a move of location to a far warmer climate, so as noted, my updates will be sporadic at best and I apologize for it. *bows apologetically*


End file.
